Kootenay Savings Credit Union locks out unionized employees Friday
By Nelson Daily Staff
The latest shoe to drop in the Kootenay Savings Credit Union labour dispute happened Friday with Members of the United Steelworkers Local 1-405 and 9705 on the picket lines after being locked out by the employer.
The lockout was for Friday, October 28 at the Trail, Castlegar, Fruitvale, Salmo, South Slocan, Kaslo and Kimberley branches. Services at branches in Nakusp, New Denver, Invermere and Radium Hot Springs are unaffected and will remain open.
Kootenay Savings Credit Union operations would be up and running for regular business Saturday, at respective branches, and Monday.
Pension and wages continue to be the key issues in the dispute.
Kootenay Savings headed for one-day lockout of employees
Members of the United Steelworkers Local 1-405 and 9705 in some branches of Kootenay Savings Credit Union are head to the picket line after the company announced Thursday its plan to lock‐out employees at unionized locations for one day on Friday, October 28.
Kootenay Savings made the announcement on its website that branches in Trail, Castlegar, Fruitvale, Salmo, South Slocan, Kaslo and Kimberley will be closed Friday for regular business as employees walk the picket line.
Services at branches in Nakusp, New Denver, Invermere and Radium Hot Springs are unaffected and will remain open.
“We feel our only recourse at this point is to initiate a one‐day lockout to persuade the Union to return to negotiate a fair collective agreement, and to help us address our critical issues while minimizing the impact to our employees and members,” Brent Tremblay, President and CEO said in the media release.
Tremblay said the lockout is for one day only and all employees are expected to return to their next scheduled shift on Saturday (October 29) or Monday (October 31) as services return to normal.
Kootenay Savings and the USW Locals 9705 and 1‐405 have been in negotiations for close to a year, have made many attempts to negotiate a renewed collective agreement, with and without the assistance of a mediator.
Pension and wages remain the key issues in this labour dispute.
The two sides attempted mediation in an attempt to solve the impasse.
Howver, the mediator booked out after the first of three scheduled mediation days.
Talks continued last week in a last ditch attempt to get an agreement.
However, the union rejected the company’s last offer put forward on Monday October 24.
Both parties are in a legal position to strike or lockout as of Friday, October 21.
On Tuesday October 25th, the Union commenced work to rule action.
“The USW Bargaining Committee remains ready to return to the table should the employer wish to address the above issues,” the USW said in a media release Thursday.
“The USW staff at KSCU regret any inconvenience this disruption will cause our valued members of the Credit Union and hope that a resolve to the dispute is found to limit that inconvenience.”
Tremblay said electronic services, online, phone and mobile banking, along with our ATMs, remain available and fully operational.