Support staff at Vancouver School Board (VSB) overwhelmingly vote in favor of potential strike action, with 96.9% backing the move.
The International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 963, representing VSB support staff, is at a standstill in negotiations with VSB management. The union indicates that a strike might be necessary to push for a fair collective agreement.
Over a weekend vote, members of the union showed strong support for a potential strike, with the option to give a 72-hour strike notice at any time.
Union manager Tim De Vivo expressed the frustration of members, stating, “Our priority is the well-being of students, but the demands from VSB management are unjust and have fueled significant discontent among our members, as evident from the overwhelming strike vote.”
De Vivo continued, “While the global workforce is in need of more skilled labor, VSB’s actions to diminish the skill requirements of our members’ roles are unacceptable.”
IUOE Local 963 represents a diverse group of 900 VSB employees, including building engineers, custodians, food service workers, supervision aides, and trade-qualified maintenance engineers.
CityNews has contacted the VSB for their response to the situation.
