Colwood municipal workers deliver strong strike mandate

COLWOOD--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Municipal workers in Colwood, represented by CUPE 374, have voted 92 per cent in favour of strike action.

"This result sends a clear message that workers believe the employer needs to take a different approach. We hope the City and Council will take this opportunity to find common ground and work with us to negotiate a fair agreement that supports both workers and the services residents rely on,” says CUPE 374 President Shireen Clark.

The central outstanding issue is the City’s insistence that workers accept cuts to health-related leave in exchange for wage increases in line with what other workers in the region have already negotiated. The union says that since this type of leave is offered by other municipal employers in the region, and that eliminating this benefit will make it harder for Colwood to remain competitive in attracting and retaining the skilled and experienced workers needed to support a growing community.

"Residents rely on municipal workers every day, whether it's maintaining roads and parks, supporting public safety, or providing services at City Hall," says Clark. "To continue delivering the quality services residents expect, Colwood needs to remain competitive with other municipalities in the region when it comes to attracting and retaining skilled workers."

CUPE 374 and the City of Colwood began bargaining in December 2025 and engaged the assistance of a BC Labour Relations Board mediator in April but were unable to reach an agreement.

The parties are currently awaiting a decision on their Essential Services Order from the BC Labour Relations Board. Once the order is issued, CUPE 374 will be in a legal strike position.

At this time no additional bargaining dates have been set. However, a mediator from the Labour Relations Board remains assigned to this file and is available to meet with the parties and continue negotiations.

“Job action is always a last resort,” emphasized Clark. “Our members want to be focused on serving residents, not preparing for potential strike action. We remain hopeful a deal can be reached, but that will require the City to prioritize finding a resolution that does not contain cuts. We’re ready to resume negotiations if that is the case.”

CUPE Local 374 represents municipal workers who provide quality public services in the City of Colwood, including maintaining roads, parks, and public infrastructure, supporting administrative services and municipal operations, and helping keep community facilities and public safety services running smoothly.