The union representing outdoor workers at the Metro Vancouver Regional District has announced that workers will be off-duty this weekend, impacting services in 25 regional parks. Approximately 750 employees belonging to the Greater Vancouver Regional District Employees’ Union (GVRDEU), responsible for managing regional services such as wastewater management, air quality monitoring, and regional parks, have been working without a contract for 19 months.
Earlier this summer, the union conducted a one-day strike to highlight the ongoing contract dispute with Metro Vancouver, the regional government encompassing 21 municipalities. Following unsuccessful attempts to draw attention to the issue through rotating strikes and overtime bans, the GVRDEU has decided to escalate job action once again.
According to union spokesperson Bill Tieleman, workers will refrain from garbage collection and trail maintenance, potentially impacting access for emergency services in case park users require first aid. However, a Metro Vancouver representative contradicted this information, assuring that essential services like garbage collection, park patrol, bylaw enforcement, and ensuring safe park access will proceed as usual.
Despite this, Tieleman expressed doubts about the ability of a small group of essential workers to match the level of service provided by the 100 workers who are currently on strike. He mentioned that around 100 unionized park workers will be withdrawn from their duties, leaving only 15 workers to manage the operations of 25 regional parks as per the essential services agreements with Metro Vancouver.
With negotiations on hold, Tieleman emphasized three key concerns of the union that management has yet to address: workplace safety, retention of workers, and the outsourcing of work. In response to the situation, Metro Vancouver assured that all programs and reservations at its regional parks will proceed as planned over the weekend, emphasizing their commitment to reaching a mutually beneficial agreement through mediated bargaining sessions.