The ICBC claims centre and interior office in Kelowna will be affected by a strike action from the more than 1,500 unionized claims staff on Tuesday, Sept. 18.
The Canadian Office and Professional Employees Union, local 378 announced today their members will hit the picket line in response to stalled contract talks.
“These are employees who have been without a contract for over two years,” explained COPE 378 ICBC president David Black. “Their wages are falling behind while ICBC executives and business partners got massive salary increases and $1.2 billion of ICBC profits went into government revenues.”
Black said striking is never an easy decision. “We sincerely hoped our strike action on September 5, when we co-ordinated with the BCGEU and the PEA, would help ICBC focus on reaching a fair and reasonable collective agreement. But ICBC’s attitude hasn’t changed.”
Nearly 1,200 workers will be on strike in the Lower Mainland, and the remaining 300 will be in communities throughout the rest of B.C.
This latest job action will be part of an escalating strategy aimed at getting ICBC back to the table. ICBC’s last offer was a two per cent wage increase over a four year contract.
“Our members felt it was very important to take another day of action so they could talk to the public about how the government is mishandling ICBC, not just for the workers but also for drivers that haven’t seen a rate reduction in years,” said Black.
