Fort McMurray support workers to vote on union salaries

Fort McMurray Catholics and public education officials will vote on recommendations proposed by the Dispute Inquiry Board (DIB) Friday through Monday.

The support workers are represented by CUPE Local 2545, which has more than 300 members.

Union president Lynn Fleet says the DIB’s current recommendations do not meet the needs of their members. In addition, participants have not received a salary increase for almost 10 years.

Fleet says an annual retainer of $175 has been proposed, but that does not compensate for the “lack of meaningful pay increases.”

“We have not discussed this agreement. If we don’t fight now for our right to trade freely and fairly, we will continue to be pushed around. We encourage members to vote no on this proposal,” Fleet said in a press release Thursday.

The union says DIB wage recommendations continue to fall short of the living wage, leaving “many members below the poverty line”.

In September, more than 1,000 teachers, librarians, custodians, maintenance and administrative staff in Fort McMurray voted to strike.

The Alberta Federation of Labor says Fort McMurray Catholic and public school boards have offered “small pay increases” to veteran workers and pay cuts to new hires after “years of wage freezes.”

These workers are represented by CUPE Locals 2545 and 2559.

Last week, the province intervened to appoint a DIB to help the Edmonton Public School Board and its supporting workers’ union reach an agreement. CUPE Local 3550 President Mandy Lamoureux says wages are at the center of their dispute.

The results of the Fort McMurray vote will be announced by the Alberta Connections Council on November 5th.

If the recommendations are rejected, the union can file 72 hours notice to strike.