The Vancouver Art Gallery remains open today as around 200 of its workers walk off the job.
The decision to strike comes after the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 15 (CUPE 15) rejected the gallery's last employment offer on Friday. Both parties have been bargaining for more than eight months, and CUPE 15 says they remain at odds over a scheduling model and wages.
"We continue to face concession demands and two-tier working conditions and scheduling models," said CUPE 15 President Warren Williams in a release.
The gallery tweeted that some of its programs and services will be operating today (Feb. 5) on a limited basis.
The union served strike notice on Monday, Jan. 28. Both sides continued to bargain through the week in hopes of reaching a negotiated settlement.
CUPE 15 said the art gallery's management will make use of the BC Labour Code's “last offer vote” provision, which will put the gallery's final offer to workers for a vote.
That vote is not expected until next Tuesday.
"The employer has chosen to force a vote on its rejected proposal rather than spending time at the bargaining table working out a fair and negotiated settlement," stated Williams. "This tactic represents the sort of the disrespectful treatment our members have received throughout these negotiations."
CUPE 15 is B.C.'s largest CUPE local, and represents more than 7,000 workers in Vancouver.
