Things are getting nasty in the contract dispute between Canadian Office and Professional Employees union and ICBC.
COPE 378 President David Black says they have added a strike slogan and link to the unions website to email signatures.
So he says ICBC responded..
“They are attempting to block the union from sending emails to our members while they are at work.”
Black says talks continue as ICBC has tabled some wage concessions as ordered by the Labour Relations Board.
“They did come back and tabled a zero zero one and one which not a fair and reasonable settlement that our members are looking for it would have us fall further behind when inflation is factored in.”
Black says there is plenty of money to go around.
“The government will be taking $ 1.2 billion out of ICBC by 2014 we have calculated that they could give us wage increases that we are asking for which would cost pennies per insurance policy and by reducing that amount that they are taking give drivers a $ 35 decrease on their insurance every year.”
He says they will continue to increase job action.
“Unfortunately it doesn’t seem that we have been successful with that so far so we have to look at increasing the pressure on ICBC and the government. When ever we are considering any action our first consideration will this impact the public and if we think it is going to adversely impact the public then we throw that idea out right away we don’t pursue that.”
The two sides will meet again next week.
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