PRINCE GEORGE — Fraser-Fort George workers, represented by CUPE 1699, have ratified a new collective agreement with the Regional District.

“The support from community cannot be understated,” said Daniel Burke, President of CUPE 1699. “We know that everyone wants their Regional District services to be there when they need them most, and we feel that through this agreement, we have secured that stability for workers and the communities we serve.”

The parties reached a tentative agreement with the support of a mediator earlier this week. CUPE 1699 members ratified the tentative agreement in the evening on Wednesday, November 19 and the Regional District’s Board of Directors ratified the agreement this afternoon. The new five-year agreement is now in effect and lasts until December 31, 2029.

“This new agreement not only helps ease the affordability challenges workers are facing but will also improve the public services communities throughout the Regional District rely on,” says Burke. “When workers have the support they need, services are more stable, more reliable, and better able to meet the needs of residents. Our focus moving forward is to strengthen our working relationship with the Regional District and continue improving the services that residents and business count on.”

CUPE 1699 represents approximately 100 workers in the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George. These workers are responsible for district services like building inspection, land use, public safety, parks and recreation facilities, water systems, and solid waste management to communities in the region, including Prince George, District of Mackenzie, the Villages of McBride and Valemount, and 7 electoral areas.

The cupe 1699 workers’ of the regional district have been locked out. Removing critical services you depend on in your communities. We are asking the public to call the members of the regional district board to demand the regional district back to negotiating table. Cupe 1699 is ready and willing to negotiate to find a solution to get these services back. Is the regional district?

 

The Regional District of Fraser-Fort George has decided to lock out District workers, effectively turning their back on community members requiring services throughout our region.

There is no such thing as a partial lockout—a lockout of one employee is a lockout of all employees. Due to the Regional District’s decision, all services provided by members of CUPE 1699 will be stopped tomorrow morning (Friday, November 7), except those deemed essential in accordance with the Essential Service Order in place.

“There is a real gap in leadership at the District”, says Daniel Burke, President of CUPE 1699. “Instead of getting back to the bargaining table, and putting in meaningful effort to resolve this, the District has decided to expand the conflict.”

“The choice to indefinitely disrupt the public services that residents depend on follows the baffling decision not to install ice at two district arenas for more than a month when there was no job action taking place at all,” added Burke.

CUPE 1699 members have participated in limited job action since October 18 to highlight the need for a fair contract. The Union says that many workers have already left the Regional District or are actively looking for other jobs because the District continues to demonstrate a lack of respect to its employees.

“We are waiting for the District to stop misrepresenting details of negotiations and cherry-picking numbers,” says Burke, noting that the Union has been ready and prepared to return to the bargaining table as soon as the District is willing to talk. “The District says it wants to serve residents and communities, but when they lock out workers—so they are unable to provide critical services— it shows that these words are hollow.”

CUPE 1699 represents over 100 workers in the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George. These workers are responsible for district services like building inspection, land use, public safety, parks and recreation facilities, water systems, and solid waste management to communities in the region, including Prince George, District of Mackenzie, the Villages of McBride and Valemount, and 7 electoral areas.

Please be advised that on November 6, CUPE 1699 members will be taking the following job actions:

 

CUPE 1699 members whose normal work location is 155 George Street and/or Foothills Boulevard Regional Landfill will no longer drive outside of the City of Prince George limits for work.

CUPE 1699 members whose normal work location is 155 George St., will no longer move furniture and boxes.

CUPE 1699 members will not load Recycle BC super sacs during pick-up.

 

The following job actions will continue:

CUPE 1699 members will no longer train managers or exempt employees in any manner, except as required in the essential services order to provide essential service levels.

CUPE 1699 members will no longer be collecting fees at Foothills Regional Landfill, Mackenzie Landfill and Transfer Station, Valemount Transfer Station, Vanway Transfer Station, Robson Valley Recreation Centre, and Canoe Valley Recreation Centre.

CUPE 1699 members will no longer perform any illegal dumping cleanups. This includes all remote locations, unstaffed locations, and all illegal dumping at facility gates or outside facility boundaries.

CUPE 1699 members will no longer collect fees, accept payments or assist with any financial transactions at reception or at the service centre at 155 George St. This includes creating invoices and receipts (Vadim, etc). All payments and invoicing tasks must be completed by Managers or exempt staff.

CUPE 1699 members will no longer perform the daily measuring of the active face at Foothills Boulevard Regional Landfill.

CUPE 1699 members will no longer create “pass cards” for landfills or transfer stations.

CUPE 1699 members will no longer accept or distribute incoming mail or packages.

CUPE 1699 members will no longer conduct cash runs, perform cash outs, or deliver daily deposit receipts related to customer transactions for processing. This job action includes end-of-day batching of Interac terminals, as well as mid-month and month-end cash outs. This job action applies to all Landfills, Transfer Stations, Recreational Facilities, and 155 George Street.

CUPE 1699 members will no longer perform temperature checks of compost piles or feedstock

CUPE 1699 members will no longer monitor or triage IT help desk tickets

CUPE 1699 members will not work overtime and will not work outside their regular scheduled hours, except as required to fulfil essential services obligations

 

In Solidarity,

CUPE 1699
Strike Committee

Please be advised on Wednesday, November 5, CUPE 1699 members will withdraw their services from the following sites for one day and will return to work on Thursday, November 6:

• 155 George Street (Prince George)
• Foothills Boulevard Regional Landfill
• Shelley Transfer Station 
• Cummings Road Transfer Station
• Mackenzie Landfill and Transfer Station
• Vanway Transfer Station 
• Valemount Transfer Station

The following job actions will continue: 

• CUPE 1699 members will no longer train managers or exempt employees in any manner, except as required in the essential services order to provide essential service levels.
• CUPE 1699 members will no longer be collecting fees at Foothills Regional Landfill, Mackenzie Landfill and Transfer Station, Valemount Transfer Station, Vanway Transfer Station, Robson Valley Recreation Centre, and Canoe Valley Recreation Centre.
• CUPE 1699 members will no longer perform any illegal dumping cleanups. This includes all remote locations, unstaffed locations, and all illegal dumping at facility gates or outside facility boundaries.
• CUPE 1699 members will no longer collect fees, accept payments or assist with any financial transactions at reception or at the service centre at 155 George St. This includes creating invoices and receipts (Vadim, etc). All payments and invoicing tasks must be completed by Managers or exempt staff.
• CUPE 1699 members will no longer perform the daily measuring of the active face at Foothills Boulevard Regional Landfill.
• CUPE 1699 members will no longer create “pass cards” for landfills or transfer stations.
• CUPE 1699 members will no longer accept or distribute incoming mail or packages.
• CUPE 1699 members will no longer conduct cash runs, perform cash outs, or deliver daily deposit receipts related to customer transactions for processing. This job action includes end-of-day batching of Interac terminals, as well as mid-month and month-end cash outs. This job action applies to all Landfills, Transfer Stations, Recreational Facilities, and 155 George Street. 
• CUPE 1699 members will no longer perform temperature checks of compost piles or feedstock.
• CUPE 1699 members will no longer monitor or triage IT help desk tickets.
• CUPE 1699 members will not work overtime and will not work outside their regular scheduled hours, except as required to fulfill essential services obligations.

If you have questions about this job action, you may contact the Strike Committee Communications Coordinator communicationscupe1699@gmail.com

In Solidarity, 

 

CUPE 1699 

Strike Committee 

Please be advised that, effective 8:30 am, November 4, CUPE 1699 members will be taking the following job actions:

• CUPE 1699 members will no longer perform temperature checks of compost piles or feedstock
• CUPE 1699 members will no longer monitor or triage IT help desk tickets
• CUPE 1699 members will not work overtime and will not work outside their regular scheduled hours, except as required to fulfill essential services obligations

The following job actions will continue:

• CUPE 1699 members will no longer train managers or exempt employees in any manner, except as required in the essential services order to provide essential service levels.
• CUPE 1699 members will no longer be collecting fees at Foothills Regional Landfill, Mackenzie Landfill and Transfer Station, Valemount Transfer Station, Vanway Transfer Station, Robson Valley Recreation Centre, and Canoe Valley Recreation Centre.
• CUPE 1699 members will no longer perform any illegal dumping cleanups. This includes all remote locations, unstaffed locations, and all illegal dumping at facility gates or outside facility boundaries.
• CUPE 1699 members will no longer collect fees, accept payments or assist with any financial transactions at reception or at the service centre at 155 George St. This includes creating invoices and receipts (Vadim, etc). All payments and invoicing tasks must be completed by Managers or exempt staff.
• CUPE 1699 members will no longer perform the daily measuring of the active face at Foothills Boulevard Regional Landfill.
• CUPE 1699 members will no longer create “pass cards” for landfills or transfer stations.
• CUPE 1699 members will no longer accept or distribute incoming mail or packages.
• CUPE 1699 members will no longer conduct cash runs, perform cash outs, or deliver daily deposit receipts related to customer transactions for processing. This job action includes end-of-day batching of Interac terminals, as well as mid-month and month-end cash outs. This job action applies to all Landfills, Transfer Stations, Recreational Facilities, and 155 George Street.

 

If you have questions about this job action, you may contact the Strike Committee Communications Coordinator communicationscupe1699@gmail.com

 

In Solidarity,

CUPE 1699

Strike Committee

As you may have seen, the employer today sent out a news release trying to make our bargaining priorities look unreasonable. Your bargaining committee is disappointed, but not surprised, that the employer has chosen to try and bargain through the media instead of coming back to the table and putting in the work to get a fair deal.

The statement offers no new information on the regional district’s monetary offer. It is the same offer your bargaining committee previously shared with CUPE 1699 members—an offer we firmly rejected.

While the employer wastes time bolstering its case with baseless inflation projections and cherry-picked numbers, it does not change the fact that their offer falls short of addressing the needs and priorities of CUPE 1699 members.

Your bargaining committee is committed to getting a fair collective agreement we all deserve. We hope the Regional District stops these timewasting tactics and comes back to the table ready to bargain.

In Solidarity,
Your CUPE 1699 bargaining committee

Please be advised, effective 8:30 am, October 31st, CUPE 1699 members will be taking the following job actions:

• CUPE 1699 members will no longer conduct cash runs, perform cash outs, or deliver daily deposit receipts related to customer transactions for processing. This job action includes end-of-day batching of Interac terminals, as well as mid-month and month-end cash outs. This job action applies to all Landfills, Transfer Stations, Recreational Facilities, and 155 George Street.

The following job actions will continue:

• CUPE 1699 members will no longer train managers or exempt employees in any manner, except as required in the essential services order to provide essential service levels.

• CUPE 1699 members will no longer be collecting fees at Foothills Regional Landfill, Mackenzie Landfill and Transfer Station, Valemount Transfer Station, Vanway Transfer Station, Robson Valley Recreation Centre, and Canoe Valley Recreation Centre.

• CUPE 1699 members will no longer perform any illegal dumping cleanups. This includes all remote locations, unstaffed locations, and all illegal dumping at facility gates or outside facility boundaries.

• CUPE 1699 members will no longer collect fees, accept payments or assist with any financial transactions at reception or at the service centre at 155 George St. This includes creating invoices and receipts (Vadim, etc). All payments and invoicing tasks must be completed by Managers or exempt staff.

• CUPE 1699 members will no longer perform the daily measuring of the active face at Foothills Boulevard Regional Landfill.

• CUPE 1699 will no longer create “pass cards” for landfills or transfer stations.

• CUPE 1699 members will no longer accept or distribute incoming mail or packages.

If you have questions about this job action, you may contact the Strike Committee Communications Coordinator communicationscupe1699@gmail.com

In Solidarity, 

CUPE 1699 

Strike Committee 

Please be advised, effective 8:30 am, October 29th, CUPE 1699 members will be taking the following job actions:

• CUPE 1699 members will no longer perform the daily measuring of the active face at the Foothills Landfill
• CUPE 1699 will no longer create “pass cards” for landfills or transfer stations
• CUPE 1699 members will no longer accept or distribute mail or packages

The following strike actions will continue:

• CUPE 1699 members will no longer train managers or exempt employees in any manner, except as required in the essential services order to provide essential service levels
• CUPE 1699 members will no longer be collecting fees at:
  • Foothills Regional Landfill,
  • Mackenzie Landfill and Transfer Station,
  • Valemount Transfer Station,
  • Vanway Transfer Station,
  • Robson Valley Recreation Centre, and Canoe Valley Recreation Centre
• CUPE 1699 members will no longer perform any illegal dumping cleanups. This includes all remote locations, unstaffed locations, and all illegal dumping at facility gates or outside facility boundaries.
• CUPE 1699 members will no longer collect fees or accept payments at reception or at the service centre at 155 George St.

Addendum:

• CUPE 1699 members will no longer collect fees, accept payments or assist with any financial transactions at reception or at the service centre at 155 George St. This includes creating invoices and receipts (Vadim, etc). All payments and invoicing tasks must be completed by Managers or exempt staff.

If you have questions about this job action, you may contact the Strike Committee Communications Coordinator communicationscupe1699@gmail.com

In Solidarity, 

CUPE 1699 

Strike Committee 

Please be advised, effective 7:00 am, October 28th, CUPE 1699 members will be taking the following job actions:

• CUPE 1699 members will no longer perform any illegal dumping cleanups. This includes all remote locations, unstaffed locations, and all illegal dumping at facility gates or outside facility boundaries.
• CUPE 1699 members will no longer collect fees or accept payments at reception or at the service centre at 155 George St.

The following strike actions will continue:

• CUPE 1699 members will no longer train managers or exempt employees in any manner, except as required in the essential services order to provide essential service levels
• CUPE 1699 members will no longer be collecting fees at:
  • Foothills Regional Landfill,
  • Mackenzie Landfill and Transfer Station,
  • Valemount Transfer Station,
  • Vanway Transfer Station,
  • Robson Valley Recreation Centre, and
  • Canoe Valley Recreation Centre

If you have questions about this job action, you may contact the Strike Committee Communications Coordinator communicationscupe1699@gmail.com

In Solidarity, 

CUPE 1699 

Strike Committee