From The Hotline, Summer, 2008

Members at Valley Traffic succeed in getting a new contract after difficult negotiations

By Susan Longva
Assistant Business Manager, Local 258 IBEW

After rejecting a tentative agreement in January, members of Local 258 IBEW working for Valley Traffic succeeded in bargaining a new collective agreement after difficult negotiations took place over the late winter/early spring.

With their previous contract expiring at the end of December, Assistant Business Manager Susan Longva reports the negotiations for more than 120 members were challenging from the start. “Our members working for Valley Traffic stuck together and were firm in their demands throughout this set of bargaining,” she described in a recent interview with The Hotline.

Contributing to the difficult bargaining atmosphere was the influence of the increase in non-union traffic control companies throughout BC, in particular in the lower mainland. It is felt that many of these new start-ups are of questionable legitimacy, and their presence as fierce competition impacts on companies with experienced workers as construction contractors are often forced to favour the lowest bidder and disregard important issues such as experience and safety-trained workers.

The industry in general is expressing some concern about an overgrowth of competition in this growing industry as promises of projects such as the Evergreen Line still sit on the drawing board as the BC Liberal government tries to secure funding.

Nonetheless, Valley Traffic’s Bargaining Committee was successful in achieving a three-year agreement that was ratified by the membership on May 22, 2008. The new contract features significant improvements to the health & welfare plan and up to nine percent wage increases. A new classification of supervisor with an enhanced pay rate was also obtained during the negotiations. Many thanks to Bargaining Committee members: Rebecca Huggins, Laurie Blancard and Angelia Fox.

Update on Lanetec — Congratulations to the thirty IBEW members who work at Lanetec Traffic Control who ratified a new collective agreement in January that sees a new three year contract with wage increases and benefit improvements.