Despite strike, gallery stays open
The Vancouver Art Gallery remains open but operating with a skeleton staff after 200 unionized workers went on strike Tuesday morning.
Workers, all members of Local 15 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, have voted 96 per cent in favour of a strike and gave the gallery strike notice last week, said union local president Warren Williams.
On Monday, unionized workers took what is called “work to rule” job action, which means sticking to the letter of their contract, not working any overtime, and strictly following break and lunch times.
Workers are picketing the gallery, Williams said, because management applied to the Labour Board for a vote on its final contract offer. That vote isn’t expected to take place until Feb. 12.
“When they did that, the membership said, ‘We’ve been saying no to this several times,’ ” he said. “We’ve been bargaining for eight months and fought back a multitude of concessions. And now they’re trying to force us to vote on something we don’t want. That was the breaking point. That’s why we’re out here today.”
He said while the union is asking the public and other unionized workers to honour the picket line, striking workers are not in any way blocking public access to the gallery, which he said is “their building.”
“I don’t want our members out here,” he said. “They should be working, doing what they love to do. For now, we’re walking.”
Johanie Marcoux, director of marketing, communications and public affairs for the VAG, said the gallery will assess on a day-to-day basis whether it remains open from Wednesday onward.
Marcoux said the gift shop and café are open. All school groups and tours were cancelled.
Marcoux said the gallery believes it has submitted a proposal to the union that is “fair and reasonable for both employees and the gallery, which is an independent, notfor-profit organization.”
She said taking a strike vote is a standard part of the bargaining process.
“We’ve been very engaged with the union and offering to bargain day and night, weekends, to try to find a common ground,” she said.
“The gallery very much values its unionized employees.,” she added.
A Feb. 3 letter sent by the VAG to its unionized employees said the current nine-day fortnight work schedule would only apply to existing employees on that schedule and not to future full-time employees hired after ratification.
The letter also said the current wage offers is based on a three-year contract from July 1, 2017.
Retroactive pay combined with an increase this July would amount to 4.75 per cent, compared to the union’s proposal of 5.5 per cent over the same period.