The Vancouver Art Gallery remains open today (February 6) as around 200 of its workers enter their second day of strike action.
The decision to strike comes after the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 15 (CUPE 15) rejected the gallery's last employment offer on Friday. Both parties have been bargaining for more than eight months, and CUPE 15 says they remain at odds over a scheduling model and wages.
"We continue to face concession demands and two-tier working conditions and scheduling models," said CUPE 15 President Warren Williams in a release.
Johanie Marcoux, the gallery's director of marketing, communications and public affairs, wrote to BIV that the gallery has been engaged in a "collaborative and respectful" bargaining process with CUPE 15.
"The gallery very much values its unionized employees and appreciates all their contributions," she said. "There has been no roll-back of benefits for its current team members and, in fact in many cases, benefits have been enhanced."
The gallery tweeted on Tuesday that some of its programs and services would be operating on a limited basis.
The union served strike notice on Monday, January 28. Both sides continued to bargain through the week in hopes of reaching a negotiated settlement.
CUPE 15 said the art gallery's management will make use of the BC Labour Code's 'last offer vote' provision, which will put the gallery's final offer to workers for a vote.
"The employer has chosen to force a vote on its rejected proposal rather than spending time at the bargaining table working out a fair and negotiated settlement," stated Williams. "This tactic represents the sort of the disrespectful treatment our members have received throughout these negotiations."
"Both the union and the gallery have approved the submission of our proposal to be submitted to employees for a vote, which will provide them an opportunity to vote on their future," wrote Marcoux.
The union said the vote is not expected at least until next Tuesday. The gallery confirmed it is waiting on the province's Labour Relations Board to set a date and time.
