EXCERPTS:
Unionized campus childcare workers could start striking on Friday if a
mediation session scheduled for Monday fails to produce an agreement.
The childcare workers have planned rotating pickets at five daycare
centres on campus on March 1, a move that could affect over a hundred
children. But the union has called off job action pending today’s
mediated talks with UBC.
The workers, represented by a bargaining unit within the B.C.
Government and Service Employee Union (BGCEU) local 303, served strike
notice on Feb. 21 after voting 94 per cent in favour of job action last
December. On the same day, the university applied for mediation in an
attempt to avoid a strike. The bargaining unit represents around 160
childcare employees.
The union is seeking wage increases from the university to bring
their average wages up to around $20 per hour. Workers currently make
between $11.81 and $21.19 per hour, depending on education and
experience.
Andrea Duncan, chair of BCGEU local 303, said mandates from the
provincial government prevent UBC from offering what she feels is a fair
wage for early childhood educators.
“We’re really hoping that the government will allow UBC to break
outside of that mandate and pay these individuals what they deserve,”
said Duncan.
Duncan said the union will move ahead with strikes if the university
doesn’t make an acceptable offer on wages in today’s mediated talks.
“We take that step [job action] very seriously. But in order … to
have the early childhood educators be fairly compensated, it’s a step
that we have no choice but to take,” said Duncan.
UBC spokesperson Randy Schmidt said the university has notified
parents of the potential job action on Friday and offered to refund them
part of their monthly childcare fees, based on how many days job action
lasts. He said the university hasn’t made a long-term plan in case
there is job action for an extended period.
So far, the union has only made plans for the single rotating picket
on March 1 if talks fail. But they haven’t ruled out the possibility of
extended strikes.
“We are certainly not opposed to further job action and we will be taking that into consideration,” said Duncan.
Schmidt said there is only one day of mediation booked, but talks
could continue if both parties agree. The union is unable to strike for
up to 48 hours after the end of mediated talks, according to Schmidt.
“The university respects the bargaining process … but we’d much
prefer to be at the table and we’re really hopeful that the mediation
will bear fruit,” said Schmidt.
-reprinted from the Ubyssey