Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools education support workers’ union leadership is recommending members vote in favour of a new collective bargaining agreement.
Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 606 announced Tuesday that it had reached a deal with the school district. It will be retroactive to July 1, 2019 and run until June 30, 2022, pending approval. The deal incorporates a provincial framework agreement approved by the K-12 Presidents Council in September, according to a press release.
Union membership will vote on approval July 31, said Rob Zver, CUPE 606 president, and while Zver told the News Bulletin he couldn’t comment about the deal, as details won’t be made public until after ratification, he is suggesting union collective give the green-light.
The previous deal expired on June 30, but negotiations began in April and Zver said they got less turbulent as they wore on.
“They started off a little rough, but they finished with everyone being happy and both parties agreeing to what was there and both sides seem to be happy with the outcome,” said Zver. “The ratification meeting will tell that, but I was pleased at the end. We started in early April, so you can tell by the amount of bargaining that if it was smooth, it would’ve been over quicker.”
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According to a union notice, voting will take place at 4:30 p.m. on July 31 at John Barsby Secondary School.
Education assistants, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, custodians and maintenance workers are among those represented by the union, which has more than 700 members supporting the school district’s 27 elementary and seven secondary schools, according to the press release.
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