Manitoba school staff approve strike action; Tentative agreement reached at PWL Stettler
Border employees secure deal after strike
OTTAWA — After a final round of negotiations that lasted more than 36 hours, the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) and Customs and Immigration Union (CIU) reached a tentative agreement with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) on Aug. 6.
“We are relieved that CBSA and the government finally stepped up to address the most important issues for our members to avoid a prolonged labour dispute,” says Chris Aylward, PSAC national president. “The agreement is a testament to the incredible hard work and dedication of our bargaining team who worked through the night to reach a deal.”
The agreement means an immediate end to work-to-rule strike action that had begun on Aug. 6 and ensures the flow of border traffic will return to normal, says the union.
“CBSA employees have been on the front lines of the pandemic since day one, protecting our borders and keeping Canadians safe. But they weren’t receiving the support they needed from the government,” says Mark Weber, CIU national president.
Negotiations began in January 2019 but reached an impasse in December 2020.
Following strike votes throughout June and July, PSAC announced a strike mandate and issued an official notice on Aug. 3, says PSAC.
Manitoba school staff approve strike action
WINNIPEG — School support staff in five school divisions in Manitoba voted on Aug. 6 in favour of strike action, and called for contract negotiations to be resolved ahead of the new school year.
“School support staff have been working incredibly hard to keep our schools and children safe during the pandemic, yet the government continues to try to prevent school divisions from settling staff contracts fairly,” says Lee McLeod, Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) regional director. “School support staff are feeling ignored and disrespected by the government, and are voting to strike for fairness.”
School support staff who now have strike mandates include the Brandon School Division, custodians and trades at the Winnipeg School Division, custodians, library techs, bus drivers, IT, and clerical at the Seven Oaks School Division and support staff at Turtle Mountain and Park West School Divisions in the Westman area, says CUPE.
School support staff have been without a new contract since 2018. They are asking for wage increases in line with recently settled teachers’ contracts, says the union.
Tentative agreement reached at PWL Stettler
STETTLER, Alta. — The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) workers at Points West Living (PWL) in Stettler, Alta. reached a tentative contract agreement on Aug 3.
A membership vote is scheduled for Aug. 12, says the union.
At a previous meeting, the employer proposed a total compensation increase of 1.25 per cent, split over a three-year contract that was rejected by the union, says AUPE.
After more bargaining, the employer improved its proposed compensation package, and that was accepted, says AUPE.
It will include wage increases, a $450 signing bonus, increase to the health spending account to $450 per year ($150 per year higher than before) and shift differential hikes, says the union.
