The union representing Metro Vancouver outdoor workers is asking hikers to avoid the Grouse Grind on Monday as the popular North Shore hiking trail will be behind a picket line. The Greater Vancouver Regional District Employees’ Union (GVRDEU) escalated job action to the Grouse Grind and four other facilities in Metro Vancouver as their strike enters its third week.
Union Issues Warning to Hikers
Union president Jesse Medeiros stated that union members affected include park operators, assistants, patrollers, and other Grouse Mountain Regional Park workers who maintain trails, remove garbage, and keep the area in top condition. These services will not be available on Monday. Medeiros advised the public to be extra careful and consider visiting the Grind or parks on another day when union members have returned to work.
Limited Staffing and Safety Concerns
The Grouse Grind and Grouse Mountain Regional Park will be operated by a limited number of management staff performing work they do not normally carry out. Park rangers, who are members of the GVRDEU, are expected to respect picket lines. Parking may also be affected. Medeiros emphasized that union members will not stop anyone from using the Grind or parks, but they advise caution.
Picket Lines Expand Across Region
Picket lines are also going up at Deas Island Regional Park in Delta and Derby Reach Regional Park in Langley Township. Unionized operations staff at the Lions Gate Wastewater Treatment Plant are also off the job. Medeiros said the union is staffing essential positions, but most members will be off, impacting services.
No Talks Scheduled
The latest job action comes as Metro Vancouver and the union have not returned to the bargaining table following an impasse. Previous job actions have temporarily affected some water filtration and treatment plants and other facilities. The union says sticking points include worker safety, contracting out of bargaining-unit work, and recruitment and retention.
Union Criticizes Management Blunders
Medeiros expressed frustration with the regional authority’s “expensive blunders” that have cost taxpayers, citing the North Shore wastewater treatment plant where costs ballooned from $700 million to $3.86 billion. The project has been delayed by a decade, and more than $800,000 in WorkSafeBC fines have been levied for safety violations. Medeiros stated that these mistakes come at the expense of frontline workers who deliver needed services.
Call for Municipal Intervention
No talks are scheduled between the parties. The union is calling on municipal politicians that make up Metro Vancouver’s board to order management back to the bargaining table without preconditions to avert a full-scale strike. The GVRDEU represents about 600 Metro Vancouver workers, along with 150 contract workers, who operate and maintain regional services including water, sewer, infrastructure, and parks.
