Town of Paradise proceeds with lockout of bargaining unit

The Town of Paradise advises effective 6:00 a.m. Monday, October 23, 2017, bargaining unit employees are on lockout status with the Town.

“We regret that we have to proceed with lockout action for our bargaining unit employees. The Town has negotiated in good faith and made a fair and respectful offer which the bargaining unit has rejected. With a strike vote in place, in the interest of our residents, we cannot stand by and wait for a strike to happen,” said Deputy Mayor Elizabeth Laurie.

The collective agreement expired December 31, 2016 and the Town has been involved in active negotiations with its bargaining unit. The bargaining unit voted in favour of a strike on October 15, 2017.

“On two separate occasions we reached tentative agreements, which the bargaining unit negotiating team recommended to its membership, and both times it was rejected. We have participated in conciliation and we are still unable to reach a negotiated settlement,” said Deputy Mayor Laurie.

The three-year offer, rejected by the bargaining unit, included a 10 percent wage increase over three years (5 percent retroactive to January 1 2017, 3 percent in 2018 and 2 percent in 2019), increases to standby rates, changes to overtime allocations, increase in per diem rate for travel, and a number of other administrative, language clarification, clothing and leave items requested by the union. The offer had no changes to the retirement or health benefits.

“We made a reasonable offer to our bargaining unit employees, one that could be managed within the Town’s existing operating budget allocations. To increase the offer means we either have to increase revenues or decrease expenditures to the Town; the only way to increase revenues is to increase taxes and other fees to our residents, and to decrease expenditures means we have to reduce Town services and programs. We are simply not prepared to do either of those options,” added the Deputy Mayor.

During the lockout:

the Town will maintain essential services of water testing, garbage collection and snow / ice control; recycling collection is suspended;
the Town Hall will remain open to support essential services;
all Town recreational facilities are closed effective 11:30 p.m. Sunday, October 22, including Paradise Double Ice Complex, Paradise Youth and Community Centre, St. Thomas Community Centre, Dianne Whalen Memorial Soccer Complex, Milton Road Softball Complex and Peter Barry Duff Memorial Park;
all Town recreational programming and rentals are suspended including the After School Program, fitness classes, all birthday party and other such rentals and all rentals for all users groups;
regular inspections of playgrounds and trails are suspended; andregular Council meetings will move to a monthly schedule (the Council Meeting scheduled for Tuesday, October 24, 2017 is cancelled and the next regular meeting of Council is scheduled for Tuesday, November 7, 2017).

“We recognize the inconvenience this lockout is bringing to our residents, but we feel we have no choice but to take this step in order to bring about a resolution to the bargaining process. The Town is willing to return to negotiations at any time, as long as the bargaining unit is interested in sincere and meaningful discussions,” said Deputy Mayor Laurie.

Updates on the job action and the impact on Town services will be posted to the Town’s website: paradise.ca/jobaction

Media Contact

Diane Keough, Communications Manager, Town of Paradise

709.769.4212 (cell)