The union representing Powell River Public Library workers will apply for arbitration first before taking any action after its members passed a strike vote on Thursday, February 14.
“By tabling a final offer and refusing to consider either of our counter-proposal options, the library has told us that they are done talking,” said CUPE 798 president Graham Tonks in a statement. “We are taking this action because we simply cannot accept the employer’s ‘take it or leave it’ attitude towards the legitimate matters still outstanding.”
According to library board of trustees chair Rod Wiebe, the board is hopeful that resolutions to the outstanding issues will be found quickly and fairly through mediation.
“Our aim is to come to an agreement that is fair and reasonable,” said Wiebe. “It is important that Powell River knows that we will do everything in our power to ensure that the doors of the library do not close.”
Wiebe added that he is hopeful the impasse in negotiations will not result in a disruption to library services.
According to the CUPE statement, library workers want pay equity with other municipal workers and are demanding action to correct historically low and unequal wages of library workers compared to City of Powell River and qathet Regional District (qRD). Workers also point to the gap between their wages and those of other library workers in small BC communities such as Prince Rupert and Nelson.
“The gap is fairly large when we are looking at comparable jobs in this community with the regional district and with the city for the same type of work qualifications, education, experience,” said Tonks. “The gap is over 10 per cent for the library workers.”
In the news release, Tonks added that workers at the city and qRD-funded library should make a comparable wage to those employed by those governments.
“It is unfair that our library workers’ wages start more than 10 per cent lower than their colleagues at the city doing equivalent work with the same complexity, responsibility, and education and skill requirements,” he stated.
In the statement, Tonks said that by applying for mediation the union remains hopeful the parties can reach a fair settlement.
“We would only interrupt library users’ access to the services they count on if we felt that there was no other option,” stated Tonks.
The union expects to have an answer soon on its arbitration application. Mediation is expected to begin in early March. Tonks said the percentage increase library workers are seeking will be revealed at that time.
Chief librarian Rebecca Burbank recently presented the library’s 2019 budget proposal to Powell River city council.
Burbank said the library needs more room for staffing and the budget request for labour in 2019 is $782,000, up from $751,000 in 2018. At 60 per cent of the total expense, labour costs are the highest operational expense.
CUPE 798 represents more than 215 members, including those employed by City of Powell River and Powell River Public Library. The city is currently in contract negotiations with unions representing its workers.
