What are the three most important negotiation issues, other than term and dollars, that the union is putting forward for consideration?
In my opinion the three most important issues that we have tabled are:
- job security;
- resolution of reclassification/revaluation disputes;
- and auxiliary rights - conversion of auxiliary positions to regular full time and regular part time, and access to shifts by seniority.
Resolution of reclassification / revaluation disputes is the one area where the two sides could bargain. The Firefighters union demonstrates that the dispute resolution system in the city is broken. The City Manager's office will decide a dispute is not valid. The Fire Fighters union then takes their dispute to arbitration which have been ruled valid 96% of the time. The process has cost that union $500.000.00 so far.
Job security carries the greatest emotion. The Bill Good Show, on CKNW today, had an open phone from 8:30 - 9:00am. Many Parking Enforcement staff claimed that they are regularly reminded that their positions could be privatized. Job security carries little support among the general public. In decades past job security was the civic trade off for lower pay. Today the salaries are competitive while the benefits often surpass the private sector. The trade off for higher pay maybe the reduction of security. If the City's dispute resolution system was not broken job security would not be such an issue.
Auxilliary Rights are contentious inside the union especially the right to access shifts by seniority. The City of Vancouver, for at least the last 5 years, has not used seniority as the sole measure for hiring. Skills, knowledge and ability score higher. I can not imagine the city moving on this issue.
The endgame to this strike will be binding arbitration.
FULL INTERVIEW
Q&A with Peter Stary The Chairman of the CUPE 15 Bargaining Committee provides some insight into bargaining issues and himself:
What is your job at the City, your educational background, and how long have you worked for the City?
I’m a Bicycle Program Coordinator (working in the Engineering Department) with a technical certificate, numerous night school courses, and 29 years of service with the City.
When and why did you become involved in the union?
In 1981, when we were on strike, I became aware of the importance of our union in negotiating our working conditions and protecting our rights in the workplace. I became involved by attending meetings and volunteering to be a shop steward, and attended our union’s fi rst shop steward training program. I was elected to the executive and served a couple of terms in the mid 80’s.
Do you live in Vancouver?
I live in North Burnaby, three blocks east of Vancouver.
It’s obvious you are a cyclist - do you own a car?
Does it show? My wife and I do own a car. Over half of my trips are by bike, the rest by a variety of other modes – car, transit and walking.
What are the three most important negotiation issues, other than term and dollars, that the union is putting forward for consideration?
In my opinion the three most important issues that we have tabled are:
- job security;
- resolution of reclassification/revaluation disputes;
- and auxiliary rights - conversion of auxiliary positions to regular full time and regular part time, and access to shifts by seniority.
Approximately 40% of our City, Parks, Britannia and Ray-Cam members are auxiliary workers, a total of over 1,200 members.
When the employer says the union wants another week of holiday, what does that specifically refer to?
Our current proposal, similar to that of Local 1004 (and recently agreed to in Surrey), is for an additional vacation step for long-term employees, providing 35 days of annual vacation after 28 years of service.
Explain the seniority issue?
Auxiliary employees have no guaranteed access to shifts. Even after many years of service, they can be moved, their shifts reduced or entirely taken away at the whim of a manager. We are seeking to provide auxiliary employees with some measure of job security by negotiating a system of access to auxiliary work by seniority. With regard to our regular employees, we are seeking to strengthen the importance of seniority in determining promotions. Currently, seniority is used only as a tiebreaker, when two candidates are “equal”. In fact, two candidates are rarely if ever “equal”, especially when non-objective criteria such as “personal suitability” play a part in the process.
When we refer to “language” issues, why is it so important when some members may just want to take the money and run after being on strike for more than a month?
The language in our collective agreements defines our working conditions – the time we spend at work and the time we have available for our personal lives, how we are promoted, our benefits, our work-related rights and the means available to us to defend them as well as many other issues. A strong collective agreement is our best guarantee of fair treatment and respectful work relationships. It gives us the opportunity to plan our careers and to take care of our families and our own well being. In this round of bargaining, the employer is seeking unprecedented take-aways which would significantly weaken our collective agreement. We are seeking improvements in areas of concern to members.
What is the last book you read?
Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer, the account of a young man’s search for meaning in life that ends with his death in the Alaskan bush.
1 comment:
Binding arbitration should be illegal for directly funded government contracts. The reason is that an arbitrator is NOT politically accountable for any increases he/she imposes on taxpayers. ONLY elected officials should have the power to increase/decrease taxes or debt. The government of the City of Vancouver is the SOLE entity in charge of how much is affordable in relation to ability to pay. Arbitration is fine, and may be necessary but binding arbitration should be ruled unconstitutional in a government setting.
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