RICHMOND—The BC Labour Relations Board has appointed mediator Trevor Sones to mediate contract talks between E-Comm Emergency Communications for British Columbia and CUPE Local 873-02 (Emergency Dispatchers of BC), which represents more than 500 emergency dispatchers, call takers and support staff in the province.
The last three-year agreement expired on December 31, 2018. The parties have held 13 bargaining sessions since mid-March, with little progress made on substantive issues, including wages and working conditions.
The first mediated talks will occur on September 27 at the LRB office.
CUPE 873-02 members are the first point of contact for most of B.C., daily receiving about 4,100 emergency calls. In recent years, their service has expanded from a select number of police and fire agencies in the Metro and Vancouver area to becoming the first point of contact province-wide for 9-1-1 callers in 25 regional districts, 40 fire departments, 33 police agencies and 99 per cent of B.C.’s 9-1-1 call volumes.
For more information about emergency dispatchers, visit www.weare911bc.ca
