Facility control staff at Brock College are hanging the college on understand that they’re prepared to strike if they may be able to’t succeed in a brand new contract.
Canadian Union of Public Staff Native 1295, which represents greater than 150 everlasting and informal amenities control staff on the college, says staff voted unanimously over the weekend in favour of a strike mandate forward of this Thursday’s bargaining with Brock.
The union represents the college’s cleaners, upkeep staff, automobile parking space attendants, groundskeepers, upkeep staff, tradespeople and others.
In a press liberate Tuesday, the union stated a “truthful” salary building up and higher activity safety are key problems.
“8 and 9 years in the past, when Brock was once in monetary straits, we sacrificed for the great of the college and took 0 will increase,” stated Ken McClelland, president of CUPE Native 1295 within the liberate.
“Then for the previous 3 years, Invoice 124 limited our salary hikes to at least one in keeping with cent. Now inflation is working at 8 in keeping with cent — the best possible in 39 years. Our contributors desire a contract that acknowledges what running persons are coping with daily.”
The union stated some other sticking level is a college proposal to cut back informal staff’ jobs from six to 4 hours.
If the 2 aspects can’t succeed in an settlement on new contract, the union stated the native will strike for the primary time in its 52-year historical past.
“We all know what’s at stake on this spherical of bargaining,” McClelland stated. “That’s why we’re urging Brock to acknowledge that amenities control staff are made up our minds to get a deal that values their paintings and their contribution to campus lifestyles.”
Brock College stated in a commentary Tuesday it’s been actively bargaining a renewal collective settlement with CUPE Native 1295.
“The events had been assembly continuously because the spring, and feature made growth in opposition to achieving a tentative deal in that point,” it stated.
“The college stays dedicated to achieving a negotiated agreement and appears ahead to proceeding discussions with CUPE 1295.”
McClelland stated the pandemic has given amenities control staff a renewed appreciation of the best way their jobs permit Brock’s operations to run easily and safely.
“Right through COVID, amenities control staff put their lives at the line to ensure workforce, scholars and college may go back to a protected campus. It’s another reason, along side the skyrocketing value of residing, that we’re made up our minds to get a deal that respects us and the worth of our paintings at Brock.”
