Unionized ICBC adjusters have given 48-hour notice of their latest job action, calling for a return to claims centre adjuster levels established in a 1996 workload study.
Canadian Office and Professional Employees Union, local 378 (COPE 378) this morning announced the plan for adjusters to pare back to approximately half their current workload.
COPE 378 president David Black said workload is a large problem at ICBC, especially at claims centres.
"Our members are struggling under caseloads that are, on average, double the levels set out in the 1996 workload study," he said.
According to the union, the workload study was started in 1993 and completed in 1996. The union claims that ICBC has denied requests since 1996 to carry out a new workload study.
The union noted that in an arbitration this year, arbitrator Colin Taylor determined that ICBC has benefited from an "unjust enrichment" from workers performing unpaid overtime.
The union said that, as a result of the job action, ICBC customers "may" have to wait longer to get a claims centre appointment.
"Our hope is that this will be a short-term pain that will lead to a long-term gain for both our members and B.C. drivers," Black said.
