Metro Vancouver outside workers withdraw from liquid-waste operations in job action

The Greater Vancouver Regional District Employees' Union has pulled members from liquid-waste operations in Burnaby after a sewage spill last week that the union says put workers at risk.

A combined sewage overflow occurred July 26 to 29 near Crab Park in Vancouver due to heavy rainfall and a pump malfunction. Metro Vancouver spokeswoman Amanda McCuaig says the mix of rain and wastewater did not elevate E. coli levels and posed no health or safety risk to residents. However, union president Jesse Medeiros says workers discovered the spill on-site and contacted the union to launch an investigation.

"Our members are angry that Metro Vancouver acts like it's situation-normal when it's clear they are unable to maintain the basic sewage treatment operations that the public expects and is paying for," Medeiros said. He called on Metro Vancouver's elected board of mayors and councillors to pressure management to return to negotiations.

The withdrawal does not include designated essential workers. The job action follows earlier escalations this summer — as of Tuesday, the union's roughly 750 outside workers have been without a collective agreement for 19 months.

Metro Vancouver says its latest offer includes wage increases of more than 10 per cent over three years, consistent with recent regional agreements. Outstanding union concerns include the contracting out of union work, health and safety protections, and staff retention. McCuaig says the district remains available to resume bargaining.