School District No. 53 (Okanagan Similkameen) has received 72 hour strike notice by CUPE Local 523.

The district has been in negotiations with the union since October 2012 and has a further bargaining date schedule for Monday, December 2.  The BC Public School Employers’ Association and representatives of school district support staff unions, including CUPE representatives, negotiated a two-year Provincial Framework Agreement in September 2013, which all parties recommended to their members for ratification.

Chair Tarr commented, “We are surprised and disappointed that CUPE has served our district with strike notice. We have conducted negotiations with CUPE Local 523 consistent with the Framework Agreement recommended by both CUPE and the employers’ association.”

“We are concerned that the union is threatening strike action, and disruption to students, parents and the normal operation of our schools, by mischaracterizing an employee benefits issue.  Contrary to the union’s statements that the school district demanded a concession to claw back employee long-term disability savings, we need to be clear,” said Marieze Tarr,  “There has been no claw back of any collective agreement provision related to employees’ long-term disability plan.  The way in which the plan is being funded is different, but the competitive benefit level available to our support staff remains unchanged.”

In addition to a number of other matters, the Framework Agreement provides for salary increases of 3.5% over the term of the agreement. The provisions that the school district put forward to the union are the same as those agreed to by other CUPE locals in other school districts throughout the province.

In its media announcements, the union has referred to the district’s “$5 million surplus”. The district has an accumulated surplus of $1.3 million of which almost $400,000 is being used to fund operations this school year.  The remaining dollars are restricted for items such as computer lease payments, school funds, and capital improvements.

Chair Tarr stated “It’s important that we retain our focus on the needs of the students in our schools and ensure that their education is not interrupted by a labour dispute.  We hope that the union will take a step back and recognize that we are being fair and consistent with the settlements for other CUPE employees in BC’s 60 public school districts and return to the bargaining table to reach a negotiated agreement.”

Marieze Tarr
Chair
School District No. 53 (Okanagan Similkameen)