Source:
National PostLena Sin, CanWest News Service; Vancouver Province
Published: Sunday, July 22, 2007
VANCOUVER -- Six thousand Vancouver municipal workers are expected to be off the job by the end of Monday, bringing everything from daycare, garbage collection, rock concerts, libraries and other services to an indefinite halt.
As both the city and its workers remained at a stalemate Saturday, Vancouver sent it's non-union workers into contingency mode in preparation for a city-wide strike.
On Friday, Mayor Sam Sullivan made it clear there'd be no bargaining through the weekend and directed city manager Judy Rogers to implement the contingency plan, outlining a list of priority services that would be maintained during a strike.
Coming soon? Garbage piled up during the last civic strike in 2000. A full-scale 2007 version looms Monday. (Ric Ernst file photo - The Province)
"There are no plans to go back to the bargaining table by the city. In order to get back to the bargaining table, the union needs to bring their expectations more in line with the fiscal reality of taxpayers," said Vancouver city spokesman Jerry Dobrovolny.
Read more: More than 6,000 striking city workers will freeze services Monday