Friday, February 1, 2013

Strike Notice on Monday?

Welcome to Williams Lake reports that the bargaining situation between the City of Williams Lake & the IUOE (International Union of Operating Engineers) - the union that represents some 100+ City of Williams Lake unionized employees working at various City-owned buildings, is rapidly falling apart

John Dube, on behalf of IUOE, says employees who would fall into the 'essential services' category would be 4-5 while the City of Williams Lake says that it should be more closer to 25-30

Today -- City of Williams Lake management, Union negotiators, and a mediator will meet at the Labor Relations Board in Vancouver. If they reach an agreement on the matter of essential services staff, the union could then serve 72-hour strike notice as early as Monday. If not, the matter will go before the Vice Chair of the Labour Relations Board on Monday, and his/her decision will be binding

Mr. Dube also says IUOE will receive the support of the BC Federation of Labour (BCFL), and the BCFL president Jim Sinclair will be in Williams Lake to visit the union’s work/picket sites.

Read more here.  Guess mediation is off the table....

It seems Williams Lake City Council can not get a break in issues facing it which includes:

a) Dispute over WL Community Forest

b) Dispute over CRD Rural Fringe Fire Protection (which appears to heading back to Court and very well could see the City of Williams Lake forced to honour its' October offer, even if it financially impacts the City for the next 5 years)

c) Resolve the next steps for the Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex including if the City retains management of the Complex, as per an agreement between the City/CRD and what to do about the rapidly aging Sam Ketcham Pool

d) Re-sign a MOU (Memo of Understanding) between the City/CRD for joint local gov't services

e) Sign a new collective agreement between IUOE/City of WL

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Do you feel sorry for Council? Can't catch a break is different than biting off more than they can chew or picking fights....

Anonymous said...

It's unbelievable how Council and Management are totally mismanaging this wonderful city. There spending tens of thousands of dollars paying lawyers to tell them what to do because they have no clue!! Where is the accountability??

Anonymous said...

Just pathetic.

Jim said...

And how exactly do you know they are spending "tens of thousands of dollars on lawyers"?? I would assume unless you're in the room with teh City folks, or have access to their bills, you'd have absolutely no clue.
Anonymity is not a licence to just make stuff up. It's sad and pathetic when people resort to these misinformation tactics to try and sell their point of view.

Anonymous said...

Well, let's add it up. Court action with CRD over fire protection........ KAA...CHING ! Consulting with a lawyer at EVERY TURN during the "labour negotiations" carried out by a "management team" with absolutely NO labour negotiation experience.....KAA...CHING !!
Consulting a lawyer regarding the payoff of former CAO..... KAA.. CHING.....KAA ....CHING!
Consultation with lawyer regarding the DUAL SUSPENSIONS WITH PAY of two city employees FOR SIX MONTHS STILL WITHOUT A RESOLUTION....KAA ...CHING.....KAA...CHING....KAA CHING.....KAA...CHING !!

Any more notions of "no clue" ??

Anonymous said...

KA CHING is right. Those are all facts.