Metro Vancouver outside workers are striking on Monday, including staff who maintain regional parks, watersheds, water and sewer infrastructure and construction sites.
The Greater Vancouver Regional District Employees’ Union (GVRDEU) says it represents about 700 workers. While some are deemed essential workers and will remain on the job, all non-essential outside staff are now on a full-scale strike.
Union spokesperson Bill Tieleman said the most visible impact for the public will likely be in the over 20 Metro Vancouver regional parks and reserves, including Grouse Mountain, Derby Reach and Deas Island.
“Most of our workers will be on strike and management will have to fill in as best they can,” he said.
Tieleman said he could not say how many of the union’s more than 700 members will be striking, but said it’s a “strong majority.”
The union is calling on the public to avoid using Metro Vancouver parks during the strike. Tieleman said workers will be picketing “in a number of locations,” including the district’s headquarters in Burnaby.
At issue is a collective agreement that expired 17 months ago. The union says Metro Vancouver has not addressed issues such as worker safety, protection against contracting out bargaining-unit work and measures to support recruitment and retention.
It says the regional district is setting preconditions before contract talks can resume, a claim Metro Vancouver has denied.
In a statement, Metro Vancouver said it will return to the table if a mediator is present.
“While the union has characterized mediation as a precondition, we do not. We see it as an important and practical step, after almost a year of bargaining, to help both parties make progress and reach an agreement,” the statement reads.
It says its latest offer includes a wage increase of more than 10 per cent over three years, which it says is consistent with other recently negotiated agreements in the region.