After nine days of bargaining between the Columbia Valley Credit Union (CVCU) and the United Steelworkers Local (USW) 1-405, a 100 per cent strike vote was returned in a mandate to the bargaining committee.
The decision was reached on October 15, and raises issues of wages and benefit parity that other credit unions in the Kootenay and Columbia region receive.
The talks also involved improved vacation flexibility, and inclusion in the B.C. Central One Pension Plan, which is a benefit that six management staff at CVCU participate in and unionized staff only receive an RRSP contribution.
Discussions also include banking benefits and preferred rates that some exempt staff already receive.
Since then, the CVCU has applied for mediation through the BC Labour Relations Board. The union has agreed to participate in mediation, and are currently canvassing dates over the next couple of weeks, explained Jeff Bromley, business agent and financial secretary for the USW 1-405.
“As in many collective rounds of bargaining, there’s issues that are going to come to the front,” said Bromley. “They saw where their peers were in terms of wages, and they saw that they were quite behind.”
Moving forward, the bargaining committee is weighing their options, which could include serving a 72-hour strike notice, or participation in mediation with a BC Labour Relations Board-appointed member.
“Columbia Valley Credit Union remains committed to reaching a collective agreement. The well-being of our employees and members is always our highest priority,” said CVCU general manager Sharon Eddy. “Based on our history of positive labour relations, we are optimistic an agreement can be reached. Our discussions with the union continue in earnest.”
While the two parties hope to reach an agreement that is suitable for the employees at CVCU, if they cannot agree on appropriate terms and conditions for the employees, it could result in a strike notice, which would disrupt service offered at the credit union in Golden.
“A labour dispute would see picket lines up in front of the building and it would certainly impact business,” Bromley said.
The Columbia Valley Credit Union is also working to become a part of a larger credit union organization in the Kootenay/Columbia region, as members of Kootenay Savings Credit Union. Credit unions in Nelson, Castlegar, Grand Forks, Creston Valley, and in the East Kootenays will vote to amalgamate into one large credit union.
USW Local 1-406 is based in Cranbrook, and represents more than 1,200 workers in sawmills, pole plants, credit unions, insurance services, hotels, ski resorts, and municipal workers in the East Kootenays.
