News
Tentative deal prevents strike by YVR workers
Aug. 30, 2013, Vancouver - A tentative agreement has been reached to avert a strike at the Vancouver airport by almost 350 unionized workers.
August 30, 2013 By The Canadian Press
The Public Service Alliance of Canada and the Union of Canadian Transportation Employees had issued a strike notice on Tuesday and a walkout was scheduled to begin at midnight local time.
PSAC says the agreement was reached late Thursday night with the assistance of a federal mediator, after two days of eleventh-hour negotiations.
The union's bargaining team is unanimously recommending its members accept the deal.
No details of the agreement were released.
The unions had issued a 72-hour strike notice on Tuesday morning, just weeks after 83 per cent of the members had voted in favour of a strike.
They said the main issue was concessions sought by the airport, particularly around wages for trades people and procedures for contracting out work.
"It came down to the wire, but in the end I feel we have a fair agreement that works for our members as well as the employer.'' said Dave Clark, regional vice-president of the Union of Canadian Transportation Employees.
"We all worked hard to get it.''
