Unionized workers at StellarVista Credit Union branches in Castlegar and Slocan Park have overwhelmingly rejected the employer’s latest contract offer, extending job action into it’s 15th week.
Eleven members of United Steelworkers (USW) Local 1-405 in Castlegar and Slocan Park have been on strike for more than 14 weeks.
A press release from USW stated that 10 days of mediation with a B.C. Labour Relations Board provincial mediator led to the USW bargaining committee agreeing to take back a tentative settlement for members to vote on, without a recommendation to settle.
Following a review, members rejected the settlement by a vote of 10–1.
The determining factor, according to the union, was the employer’s offer of lump sums in the first two years of the agreement, and a 2 per cent increase in the third year – along with the elimination of hard-won provisions that the union said have been in the collective agreement for decades.
USW agreed to return to mediation on July 14 and 15, but made it clear that the membership will not accept concessions to resolve the strike.
Following the July 14 mediation, the union said it appeared that the employer “isn’t willing” to move closer to a path to an agreement.
“The employer continues to propose lump sums instead of wage increases – although upper management, including the CEO, took a 5 per cent wage increase in 2024 – and eliminate ATO (accumulated time off),” said the USW in a statement.
“The employer also continues to threaten the elimination of employee banking benefits – including removing those hard-earned benefits for retirees that were offered those benefits in writing when they retired.”
As a result, the USW bargaining committee rejected the employer’s slightly adjusted offer outright, and the strike continues.
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