WHITE ROCK – After ten months of bargaining, for the first time in its history with the City of White Rock, CUPE 402-01 has served 72-hour strike notice and is gearing up for job action.
CUPE 402-01 President Mike Guraliuk said that the union plans limited job action on Friday, May 2, with CUPE workers at White Rock City Hall off the job. This will include services such as Permits and Licensing, Pay Parking, Bylaw Enforcement and Financial Services.
“We don’t want to see services and lives disrupted in our community. CUPE was hopeful that the City would enter into last weekend’s talks with a renewed commitment. But that is not what we found. Our decision to serve strike notice was made in response to the fact that we saw little progress at the bargaining table, where the City and their representative from Metro Vancouver failed to address key issues,” said Guraliuk.
Key issues for the union include the need for clear hours of work for all employees, fair treatment for casual and part-time employees, and protection for members who become seriously ill.
“This round of bargaining has been about respect and fairness for City of White Rock workers, who keep our city safe, clean and beautiful. It is a sad day when we find ourselves forced to embark on a strike that we had hoped to avoid,” said Guraliuk.
The union plans to follow up Friday’s strike with rotating action targeting different workplaces, if needed. “No bargaining sessions are currently booked with the employer, but we are hopeful that Friday’s strike will help our Mayor and Council understand that our members have reached the point where they feel they must take job action,” said Guraliuk.
CUPE 402-01 represents members who work for the City of White Rock and provide a wide range of services to White Rock residents and businesses.
