New Westminster school support staff have avoided a strike vote after mediation between their union and provincial negotiators.
CUPE local 409 and local negotiators for the New West school district had arrived at a tentative deal in June, which was ratified by the local membership and approved by school board. But that was later shot down by the B.C. Public School Employers’ Association (BCPSEA), the accredited bargaining agent for the provincial government and its school districts.
But in a recent statement, CUPE 409 president Marcel Marsolais said mediation last week – scheduled the day before a strike vote – led to a new tentative agreement between the bargaining teams.
“This was the same deal we signed on June 12 with some minor language amendments,” said Marsolais. “We added a Service Enhancement Day to focus on maximizing and providing improved services for students and to increase collaboration with our education partners.”
Marsolais said he believed the new agreement satisfies the mandate by the CUPE 409 membership.
“Our members were preparing to take job action and we are pleased that we avoided this through mediation,” said Marsolais. “This further emphasizes the harmonious relationship we have with the board of education.”
The union said more details of the tentative agreement will not be publicly available until after it’s ratified by all parties, which is anticipated for Nov. 5.
Earlier in October, CUPE 409 president Marcel Marsolais told the Record the two parties had a few disagreements, including putting part of a $93,000 local fund toward benefits for union members on long-term disability.
BCPSEA also disagreed with an additional day of sick leave, while the union fought against using a vacation day to cover one of five professional development days.
BCPSEA, in an email to the Record earlier this month, said the agreement reached by the school district and CUPE 409 "was not in alignment with the public sector bargaining mandate."
"The school district is required to negotiate within the public sector bargaining mandate established by the provincial government through the Public Sector Employers’ Council," said Deborah Stewart, a spokesperson for BCPSEA.
The agreement with the local, which represents 439 K-12 education workers in New Westminster, is the 53rd tentative agreement reached by CUPE locals, with four still in the bargaining process, according to the union news release.
Negotiators have until Nov. 30 to reach an agreement under the provincial framework.
