Mayor Sam Sullivan would like you to keep you up to date about the Offer for Settlement with CUPE 15.
On Tuesday the Labour Relations Board received the City of Vancouver’s request to conduct a “last offer vote” of the 3500 employees of its largest union, CUPE 15.
Collective agreements for most unionized employees at the City expired at the end of 2006. The City of Vancouver has had twenty-one negotiating meetings with CUPE 15 since September during which the City has made five progressive and fair offers. The City has also taken part in formal mediation with CUPE 15. On Tuesday the City tabled its final offer and asked the union to present the offer to its members for a vote. The union rejected the offer, and refused to conduct the vote. The City has applied for approval from the Labour Board to conduct a “last offer vote” to present the offer directly to its employees.
The vote would be conducted by secret ballot at a number of worksites throughout the City’s operations at a date to be determined by the Labour Board.
“We’re doing everything we can to avoid a civic strike. A strike would shut down many City services and threaten our trademark summer events such as the Celebration of Light, Pride Week, and Festival Vancouver,” stated Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan. “This afternoon the City’s final offer was presented to the Union. It is a very fair and generous offer including a 10% wage increase over 39 months, with no reduction of benefits. It’s important that each of our employees has an opportunity to consider the offer personally, and vote on whether to accept it.”
All CUPE 15 members will receive a letter with a copy of the last offer, and relevant background information.
Summary of Offer from Vancouver City Manager (pdf)
Offer for Settlement (pdf)
