Kitimat Strike Over
Kitimat, B.C. – The 14 week strike by municipal workers in Kitimat is over.Members of Unifor Local 2300 have voted to accept a new collective agreement.
Under the new three year deal, the 127 members of Unifor Local 2300 will receive annual increases of 2.5%, 2.5% and 3%, the same as had been negotiated at Rio Tinto Alcan. Full time employees will also receive a $3,500 signing bonus.
The agreement also enshrines a minimum number of permanent staff, meaning retiring workers must be replaced.
The District of Kitimat Council approved the deal last evening.
“We are pleased a deal has been reached and the strike has come to an end,” said Mayor Phil Germuth. “We are happy about services being restored and life getting back to normal.
“Lengthy labour disputes are difficult for everyone involved. I would like to emphasize that Council and I, as well as District administration, are committed to building a more positive relationship with our employees going forward.”
Some employees will return to work as early as tomorrow, for some departments the return to work will be phased in as needed. Water leak repairs will be among the priorities for Public Works staff upon returning to work.
Details on the re-opening of recreation facilities have yet to be released.
The new agreement is retroactive to January 1st of 2015, and ends December 31st 2017.
Comments
A 14 week strike!
After a 14 week strike, I’m sure that some people are asking themselves about current staffing levels. The District of Kitimat survived for 14 weeks with reduced manpower. Perhaps the residents are wondering if they could get by with a smaller permanent workforce?
Governments at all levels need to get their spending under control. Considering that salaries and benefits make up a huge portion of Government spending, it’s high time for Governments at all levels to grow a pair!
Grow a pair, get off of your butts and start reigning in the increasing levels of staff and the never ending increases in wages and benefits.
The taxpayers will thank you!
Well said Hart Guy. Is anybody listening???
Not sure why anyone would sign a contract that states retiring workers have to be replaced. That’s the best time to downsize. Hmmmmm.
Thanks Palopu!
Like I said, it’s time for our Governments to grow a pair! It’s long past time for them to run the show, instead of the Public Sector Unions!
But, NOBODY is listening!
NOBODY currently in government may be listening, but a lot of us who put them there and then watch them fail to look after our interests certainly are. And you’ve said it quite well, Hart Guy. There simply is no way most of us in private businesses could ever match the kind of wages and salaries now being paid to those in the public sector. $ 30 an hour starting wage, plus benefits galore, to a new hire to wire brush and re-paint fire hydrants? And on the first day, this lucky new employee of a municipality here, was told by a fellow worker who’d been there awhile, “Slow down, you’re making the rest of us look bad, we’ve got all summer to do this.” The most important part of his on-the-job training? How to respond to irate taxpayers when they question what they’re getting for their money. They’re to be referred to a ‘supervisor’. God only knows what kind of salary he gets! Meanwhile the property tax bills grow ever larger, and if you own a business that holds property, well, that’s even worse.
The District of Kitimat survived for 14 weeks with reduced manpower. Perhaps the residents are wondering if they could get by with a smaller permanent workforce?
All is good until the potholes need patching, or the snow needs plowing….you plan on doing it on your days off to save some taxes?
It will be great to see them back on the job . The kids will really be happy . The trails really need work . Hope your chainsaws are sharp . You’re going to need them . Germuth you are no Monighan and that’s a good thing .
Jim 13136. You can bet that if they were allowed citizens would in fact fill the pot holes. Even if you filled them with gravel it would be better than banging into a deep hole.
We do in fact do a lot of snow plowing with our cars. Or we certainly did the winter before last.
“Even if you filled them with gravel it would be better than banging into a deep hole.”
Talk about giant potholes being ignored for weeks on end! I took some pictures of huge potholes at the Hart Mall/Save On Foods which some kind soul finally had filled in with smooth stones!
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