Globe and Mail Article Wrong

New CUPE posting.

City source gets it wrong: no recommendations for council to vote on

[October 2, 2007 10:21 AM]

MEDIATOR FOLEY HAS YET TO ISSUE RECOMMENDATIONS

VANCOUVER - An anonymous city source, who claims he is familiar with negotiations, has created confusion among CUPE members, the media and the public today by falsely stating that "Vancouver city council could vote as early as today on a mediated settlement to the 10-week-old civic strike." The truth is Mediator Brian Foley has not issued his recommendations yet, so it is impossible that either party could be in a position to vote on them.

Globe & Mail article, "Council vote on settlement imminent, source says", October 2, 2007

Below (text and PDF) is letter of agreement on mediation process agreed to by the parties on September 21st, 2007:

To: Richard Scott/Mike Zora
Donn Stanley
Keith Graham/Paul Faoro
Ken Davidson/Mike Jackson

From: Brian Foley

Re: MEDIATION PROCESS AGREED TO ON SEPTEMBER 21, 2007

This is to confirm the following agreement between the City of Vancouver and CUPE Locals 15 and 1004 respecting the mediation process to be utilized after September 21, 2007.

1. The matters still unresolved between the City and CUPE Locals 15 and 1004 as of September 21, 2007 are set out in attached Appendices 1 and 2. All other matters are agreed upon as set out in the City's draft Memorandum of Agreement respecting CUPE Local 15 dated September 12, 2007 and the City's draft Memorandum of Agreement respecting CUPE Local 1004 dated September 13, 2007.

2. As soon as possible, I will finalize arrangements to meet separately with the bargaining committees for the City, CUPE Local 15 and CUPE Local 1004 and I provide them with a full opportunity to make representations to me on the unresolved matters.

3. After I have duly considered the representations made to me by the three bargaining committees, I will provide the City, CUPE Local 15 and CUPE Local 1004 with my written recommendations on the manner in which I have concluded that the unresolved matters should be dealt with.

4. The City, CUPE Local 15 and CUPE Local 1004 will then submit my recommendations for settlement of the collective bargaining dispute to their respective principals for decision.

5. Communication to the media respecting the modified mediation process will be limited to the contents of this document until my recommendations are issued, after which time the City and the Unions may communicate with the media or otherwise as they see fit.

Brian Foley
Mediator

Mediation process agreed to by Mediator Brian Foley, CUPE 15, CUPE 1004, City of Vancouver and Metro Vancouver Labour Relations Bureau representatives - September 21, 2007
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No quick end to city strike, union negotiator says

The Canadian Press

October 3, 2007

Vancouver -- Hopes for a speedy resolution to Vancouver's two-month-old civic strike have been dashed again.

CUPE Local 15 chief negotiator Keith Graham says there is no chance Vancouver City Council will vote today on a recommendation from mediator Brian Foley.

Mr. Graham said Mr. Foley has not yet drafted his report and no vote can be held until he does.

According to Mr. Graham, the earliest Mr. Foley could make his recommendations is Thanksgiving Monday.

Earlier reports had quoted a source familiar with the negotiations as saying Vancouver councillors could vote on Mr. Foley's proposals later today or possibly on tomorrow.

Vancouver's inside, outside and library workers have been on strike since July and CUPE negotiators have pledged to put Mr. Foley's non-binding recommendations to a vote as soon as they are received.