Central Okanagan

FortisBC Inc. (“FortisBC”) has applied to the BC Labour Relations Board to have certain work functions designated as essential, after it received strike notice from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, (IBEW) local 213.

There is no job action taking place at this time and all FortisBC services are operating as usual.

Essential services are those the Labour Relations Board considers necessary or essential to prevent immediate and serious danger to the health, safety or welfare of the residents of British Columbia.

FortisBC did present an offer to the IBEW 213 and the company looks forward to continuing negotiations with the union and working to reach an agreement through dialogue.

As always, FortisBC’s main focus is on the ongoing safety of its operations and the public, while ensuring a reliable supply of electricity to our customers and has a contingency plan in place to deal with various forms of job action.

The current contract with the IBEW expired January 31, 2013.

The IBEW 213 represents approximately 225 FortisBC employees working primarily in electric generation, transmission, and distribution occupations such as power line technicians, electricians, and system power dispatchers.