Lower Mainland strikes seeking increases beyond industry standards: Coke Canada

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Employees at Coke Canada’s Richmond, Coquitlam and Chilliwack facilities went on strike last month.

A local employer is “disappointed” its employees chose to go on strike.

“This is an unnecessary and unfortunate situation,” Kathy Murphy, Coke Canada Bottling spokesperson, told the Richmond News.

Murphy said, during bargaining, the company offered its unionized employees improvements including wage increases, new training, apprenticeship programs and more opportunities for overtime.

“The union is seeking a magnitude of increases that go beyond what is offered in the industry, across our business and that we simply cannot accept,” she added.

Murphy confirmed Coke Canada is deploying its “contingency plan” per B.C. labour laws, but is prepared to return to the bargaining table to resolve the issue “as soon as possible.”

Teamsters Local 213 — the union representing more than 400 workers at Coke Canada’s Richmond, Coquitlam and Chilliwack facilities — kicked off the strike on July 13 to demand fair wages.

During a previous interview, workers at the Richmond manufacturing facility picket line told the News about their struggles to keep up with the cost of living in the Lower Mainland.

The News has reached out to Teamsters Local 213 for more information.



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