Overwaitea Management At It Again

Union members across the province have been reporting to the union that Overwaitea management are once again spreading rumours about negotiations, and in some cases, telling blatant falsehoods to union members about what is going on at the bargaining table.

Some management people have been claiming that the Union Negotiating Committee and company are close to agreeing on a new contract, and that the only hold-up in signing a new contract is that the Union Negotiating Committee is stalling.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

“The Union Negotiating Committee has been focused on moving forward in negotiations and establishing a contract that meets the needs of ALL union members,” said UFCW 1518 President Ivan Limpright. “No one wants a labour dispute, but the company left us with no practical option but to take a strike vote among the members. With a strong strike mandate in place, the company will no longer be able to ignore the key issues we have: good wage increases, getting rid of Grid B, and solving the PriceSmart conversion issue.”

“Our honesty and our credibility with the union’s members is the most important thing for us as a bargaining committee,” he said. “The members deserve an honest account of what is happening, because these negotiations are all about the members and their future.”

“The members and the Union Negotiating Committee have a difficult enough time trusting this employer, and the disinformation and rumours that managers are rolling out sure isn’t helping. This isn’t just a question of managers putting their ‘spin’ on negotiations, this is about them being intentionally dishonest with the members.”

All members are encouraged to visit the union website, and call the telephone hotline (604-473-1518 or toll-free 1-888-473-1518) for the latest negotiations news, where the union posts a new report after every negotiations session.