Striking Metro Vancouver workers picket water filtration, treatment plants

As a strike by Metro Vancouver outside workers continues into its second week, the union is warning the public about the possibility of their taps running brown or cloudy water — but says it’s not a health risk.

Late last month, the Greater Vancouver Regional District Employees’ Union (GVRDEU) filed a strike notice with the BC Labour Relations Board after bargaining with its employer reportedly reached an impasse.

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The strike officially began May 24, with the union warning that outside workers would begin taking job action, starting with a ban on overtime work until further notice.

Throughout the week, workers walked off the job — but later returned to work — at multiple wastewater facilities and operation centres.

On Friday, union members gathered en masse outside the regional district’s management headquarters in Burnaby, rallying to motivate the Board of Directors to support their cause.

The union released a statement on Friday, saying members were putting job action on hold over the weekend as not to disturb the public, particularly if they were looking to visit regional parks.

In an update Monday, GVRDEU President Jesse Medeiros says the union has escalated its job action once again, targeting water filtration and treatment plants.

The strike Monday affects the following facilities:

• The Capilano Watershed,
• the Seymour Watershed,
• the Coquitlam Watershed,
• the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve,
• the Seymour Capilano Filtration Plant, and
• the Coquitlam Water Treatment Plant.

“Our members are once again being forced to escalate job action against Metro Vancouver management, and unfortunately, it’s possible that water turbidity — brown water or cloudy water — could come out of drinking water taps in Metro Vancouver municipalities,” Medeiros explained.

He says water discolouration during the strike is unlikely, and poses no health concern.

“Our members will not jeopardize public health at any time in this dispute.”

With no new negotiations scheduled, he says the union has been forced to continue.

“There will be escalating job action, up to and including a full strike,” said the union president, describing Metro Vancouver management as “incompetent.”

Earlier, he explained that members’ concerns include “worker safety, protection against contracting out bargaining-unit work and measures to support recruitment and retention.”

In a statement to 1130 NewsRadio, the Metro Vancouver Regional District says it remains committed to reaching a fair agreement.

“Metro Vancouver has consistently offered dates to the union in good faith with no preconditions, including five different dates recently, all of which were declined by the union. We have also repeatedly requested the appointment of a mediator to support progress. To date, the union has not agreed,” it claimed Friday.

It says the latest offer included a wage increase of more than 10 per cent over three years.

Regional district assures water quality will not be impacted

“Metro Vancouver wants to assure residents that drinking water quality will not be impacted by potential GVRDEU strike action. Residents will not experience turbidity as a result of job action. Clean, quality drinking water is an essential service and is protected through essential services agreements, which ensure all critical treatment and monitoring processes remain in place,” said Jillian Glover, the regional district’s media spokesperson.

“Residents can expect no interruption or change to any essential services, including safe, clean drinking water, wastewater treatment, solid waste management, air quality monitoring, wildfire suppression, and housing.”

She adds that Metro Vancouver remains ready to get back to the bargaining table at any time, with or without a mediator to support progress.

“We are committed to reaching a fair agreement while continuing to deliver the services people across the region count on every day.”