On behalf of local 391, I attended the Metro Vancouver Municipal All President’s Coordinated Bargaining meeting Friday morning. Locals reported on the status of their bargaining. The Cities of Vancouver and Surrey have started bargaining with the municipal unions and other locals are still preparing proposals. As I was listening to the reports, I noted that no employer in Metro Vancouver contracted an external negotiator to conduct their bargaining. Except, VPL. This was on my mind because of the Bargaining 2012 – Update that Acting Chief Librarian Diana Guinn circulated on the bulletin board. It is accurate to say that the City of Vancouver and VPL are no longer use the services of the Metro Vancouver Labour Relations Bureau . The General Manager of Human Resources is acting as Chief Spokesperson for the City at both At both the CUPE Local 15 and Local 1004 bargaining tables.
The CUPE 391 bargaining committee asked the employer about the Library’s decision to hire a partner in the law firm Roper Greyell during a time of budget cuts and reduction of direct service to the public. Our question remains. Why not follow the City’s model and use VPL’s Human Resources Department?
Your bargaining committee is hard at work, getting ready to negotiate on your behalf.
Gerard Batty