Conversations That Matter: Labour Negotiations & Job Action

Ep 579 - Labour Negotiations & Job Action

Guest: Kevin Howlett

By Stuart McNish

Canada Post is in the midst of job action by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers. They’re not on a full strike; instead, they’re still delivering mail but not all of it. On September the 15th, the Union implemented a national ban on delivering flyers and neighbourhood mail. This followed an overtime ban in May.

Air Canada just concluded negotiations with flight attendants. After a three day work stoppage that wreaked havoc on the airline and passengers, the attendants were ordered back to work but the union ignored the order, negotiations resumed, and they went back to work. Weeks later, union members rejected the company's offer by 99.1% but they also kept working.

In British Columbia, the BC General Employees’ Union (BCGEU) initiated job action aimed at gaining an 8.25% wage increase over two years. The union’s website says, “We escalated job action in several key areas: Public service workers who support B.C. 's mining operations joined the strike. An overtime ban was announced in corrections and sheriff services. As the strike carried on, BC Liquor Store Workers walked off the job and as the job action continued into week eight, 25,000 of the 34,000 Union Members in government jobs were on strike. At the time of recording this interview, there is job action but not a full-out strike.

We invited human resource specialist Kevin Howlett to join us for a Conversation That Matters about the changing nature of labour negotiations and job action.

Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Join me for Conversations Live Unlocking BC's Economy at 9 am on The Vancouver Sun