Rocky negotiations between District of Peachland and employees

Photo: District of Peachland

It appears the District of Peachland's negotiations with the union representing 39 of its employees has not been going smoothly.

On Thursday, Peachland council held a closed-door meeting and then released a statement, rejecting a claim that they had tried to bypass the union during negotiations.

Council's statement was made in response to a letter that CUPE Local 608 had previously sent to council. While that letter was not publicly disclosed, it appears the union had accused the district of trying to bypass the union when it proceeded with a “final offer vote.”

“After lengthy negotiations, when a mutual agreement could not be reached, the District followed the appropriate process, as allowed by the Labour Relations Code, to proceed with a Final Offer Vote,” Peachland council said.

“This was not an attempt to sidestep the Union, rather it was a permitted step to advance the bargaining process and ensure staff were informed about the District’s proposal as many staff members expressed they were unaware of the details of the proposal. The claim that the District attempted to bypass the Union is simply inaccurate.”

Peachland council says the district is currently in negotiations with the union for a new contract for 39 full time, part time and casual employees. Their most recent collective agreement expired this past June.

Castanet reached out to CUPE Local 608 by email, but has not heard back by publication time.

In council's statement, they say the union's bargaining committee has published “inaccurate and incomplete data” about their offer.

“For instance, several critical points in the Union’s comparison charts failed to provide an accurate comparison of compensation packages, and some of the data shared was not part of the ongoing discussions at the bargaining table,” council says. “This inaccurate information risks skewing the understanding of the proposed offer.”

“The District is deeply concerned that the use of such inaccurate information is creating unnecessary confusion and hindering the goal of a fair and informed negotiation process. We believe that all parties involved should have access to accurate and transparent data to ensure that decisions are based on a full understanding of the facts.”

Council says their 100% employer-paid benefit package is “one of the most competitive in the region,” and their wage offers “reflect the unique circumstances of smaller municipalities, where financial realities and operational needs must be carefully balanced.”

Moving forward, the district has agreed to enter mediation, and says they're “fully committed to continuing good faith negotiations.”

It's not clear how long the negotiations have been ongoing.