CRD union workers vote 98 per cent in favour of potential strike

A view of downtown Victoria from Mt. Tolmie. (CTV News)

Capital Regional District workers who are part of a local union voted overwhelmingly in favour of potential strike action as contract negotiations continue with the CRD.

Yesterday, members of CUPE Local 1978 held a vote about job action, and 98 per cent of voters said they were in favour of a strike.

CUPE Local 1978 represents about 1,000 people who work for the CRD, and another 400 members who live in the Greater Victoria region.

The vote did not call for any immediate job action, with the union noting that it would need to serve a 72-hour strike notice and maintain essential service levels before members could strike.

The union has been in negotiations with the CRD since March, but says it reached a bargaining impasse in late September.

"In more than seven months of bargaining we have made minimal progress and our employer has been unwilling to discuss our members’ core issues," said Tom Benjamin, president of CUPE Local 1978, in a statement Wednesday.

"CRD workers, like many members of our community, are facing affordability challenges," he said.

Future mediation dates have been set for Nov. 9 and 10, the CRD confirmed.

The Greater Victoria Labour Relations Association, which is representing the CRD in bargaining, notes that no strike can occur until after the mediation meetings have taken place.

The association says meetings so far have been "respectful" but there are several points that the two sides haven't agreed upon.

"We are committed to reaching a fair settlement," said the GVLRA in a statement Wednesday.

"In the best interests of the CRD, their employees, and the many municipal community members served every day, we will continue to work towards settling outstanding issues through the negotiation and mediation process," the statement continues.

CUPE Local 1978 says its main demands pertain to wage increases due to higher cost of living, increased benefits for employee health and mental health, and scheduling changes.

"Our members have told us loud and clear that their bargaining priorities haven’t changed," said Benjamin.

CUPE Local 1978 members who are employed by the CRD work in a range of departments, including bylaw enforcement, drinking water and wastewater services, regional planning, and more.

"Strike action is always a last resort, and we don’t want to be in a position where community services are disrupted," said Benjamin.