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"We are very disappointed these talks have failed," said Darryl Walker, BCGEU/NUPGE president. "We have been at the bargaining table with the employer for over 18 months where the issues have been debated extensively."
Vancouver (1 April 2011) - Talks between the provincial government, employers and the nine unions representing community-based social services workers in British Columbia collapsed today following a "last ditch" effort to reach an agreement.
"We are very disappointed these talks have failed," said Darryl Walker, British Columbia General Employees' Union (BCGEU/NUPGE) president. "We have been at the bargaining table with the employer for over 18 months where the issues have been debated extensively."
"We regret there has been little movement by the employers on the key issues of employment security and fair work practices," said Walker.
The union's key demands were for job security and a guarantee of the continuity of service for the clients the employees work for.
Community social services workers provide a wide range of assistance to people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds, including providing child care for families, employment and housing support for people with developmental disabilities, specialized services for immigrants and First Nations families, support for women dealing with violence, substance abuse and addiction-related services, and much more.
In light of the breakdown in talks, the unions involved have started organizing strike votes at workplaces around the province. Strike vote information is posted on the BCGEU website.
"We would rather not take this course of action, but have to send a message to the employers that we are serious about reaching a collective agreement that provides improved benefits to the workers in this sector," said Walker.
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The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE
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