Unionized workers from Mariposa Gardens held a low-key “roadside demonstration” Monday to underline their dissatisfaction with the state of negotiations with management over a new three-year contract. From left are Helen Evans, of housekeeping and dietary, Tammy Garbutt, a residential care aide and local shop steward, and Perla Cabanada and Ronie Felix, both residential care aides. (Richard McGuire photo)

The possibility of a strike by workers at Mariposa Gardens is looming as union representatives say management and the union are “very far apart” in contract negotiations.

A handful of the 195 affected workers held a “roadside demonstration” on Monday, showing a presence, but not picketing, as they sought to underline their concern about the state of the talks.

“We’re going to do a strike vote next week to make sure that everybody is in on it,” said Tammy Garbutt, chair of the union local, chief shop steward and a member of the negotiating team.

The vote must be held before the Hospital Employees’ Union (HEU) local will be in a legal position to strike.

The Osoyoos Times offered management a chance to respond to statements by the union, but they chose to issue a prepared statement instead.

“While we cannot discuss the details of the negotiations, we can share that we are working collaboratively to reach a new agreement,” said the statement attributed to the management team at Mariposa Sienna Senior Living.

“We value the Mariposa Gardens team members, and appreciate their role in helping residents live fully every day,” the statement continued.

Garbutt, however, gave the position of the union local.

“They (management) refused our proposal,” said Garbutt. “So now we’re going back to the table again. They want us to actually go to arbitration and we’re rejecting that.”

In the summer of 2016, a strike at the residential care facility was averted after a mediator appointed by the provincial Labour Relations Board was able to bring the two sides together to reach a new two-year contract.

The current discussions are for a three-year contract, said Garbutt.

The biggest sticking point is wages, she said, but there are also concerns about what the union sees as cuts to the workers’ benefits package, as well as rules about sick leave.

Garbutt said the union’s opening proposal was for a two-per-cent pay increase, but management was only prepared to offer one per cent.

Pay is between $4 and $5 per hour less than in other facilities up the valley to do similar work, she said.

The union recognizes that it won’t obtain parity with workers employed by Interior Health, she added, but it would like to narrow the gap.

The lower wages, she said, have made it difficult to retain staff with the result that workers often have to do double shifts.

“We’re working short staffed on a regular basis and staff members are getting burned out,” she said.

Garbutt said housekeeping and dietary workers start at around $15.46 an hour and care aides start around $18 an hour and go up to $19.50.

“We could really use some support from our community,” said Garbutt. “We’re taking care of the most vulnerable people in our community, other than children, and this is the last place these people are going to live. They deserve top-quality care and staff that’s retainable, so that we can make sure these residents are taken care of.”

RICHARD McGUIRE

Osoyoos Times