There's a possibility of picket signs in the District of Sechelt's future after unionized employees voted 93 per cent in favour of striking on May 27.
The vote means the roughly 40 unionized employees working in administration and public works now have 90 days to contemplate serving 72-hour strike notice on the District.
"We're considering next moves at this point," said B.C. Government Employees' Union (BCGEU) spokesperson Karen Tankard.
The strong strike vote comes after employees rejected a tentative agreement that bargaining representatives tabled on May 9.
While the BCGEU recommended adoption of that tentative agreement, earlier this month employees voted 62.5 per cent to reject it.
The District employees have been without a contract since Dec. 31, 2012.
Sechelt Mayor John Henderson was hopeful the tentative agreement would be accepted, especially since it included "compensation increases in each year comparable with settlements in other jurisdictions."
"During the course of collective bargaining, the District had responded to the union's demands and had significantly increased its monetary offer to the employees in order to achieve an agreement," Henderson said.
The BCGEU would not tell Coast Reporter what Sechelt employees sought in a new contract, only that they wanted a "fair and reasonable deal."
"We don't disclose these particulars except to members," Tankard said. "After a deal is ratified, it is posted on our website. At that point the contents of the deal are public."
Henderson said he is confident the two sides will continue talking and hopeful they'll be able to hammer out a new contract soon.
"This gives the bargaining committee the clarity on where the membership stands," he noted. "But there's a lot of work to be done between now and getting a deal, and certainly that's our preference, that we get an agreement sooner rather than later."
