Pay hike falls short for city jail guards

Employer calls arbitrator’s award ‘fair and reasonable,’ while union says guards will continue to make less than those in nearby cities

Commissionaires BC and the union representing the Kelowna jail guards have reached a wage settlement.

CUPE was fighting for a $2-an-hour wage increase for the 17 jail guards, who were making $16.50 an hour, $5 to $6 an hour less than jail guards in nearby cities.

The union issued strike notice in December, but avoided a strike after agreeing to binding arbitration to settle the contract dispute with Commissionaires BC, their employer.

Mark Brown was appointed as the arbitrator, and a hearing took place last Friday, with the decision announced Monday.

Details of the agreement are not being released, but Commissionaires BC vice-president of operations Julie Powers said the Commissionaires are “very pleased with the contents of the award.”

“(We) believe the wages ordered, which are largely consistent with the employer’s offers in collective bargaining, are fair and reasonable,” said Powers via email.

CUPE national representative and lead negotiator Harry Nott said he accepts the reasoning behind the award, but noted the guards are still making significantly less than guards in other cities.

“We wish our members were receiving more,” said Nott. “We will say this is much more than the Commissionaires ever offered us in bargaining.”

The City of Kelowna has been contracting out the jail guard services to the Commissionaires for about 15 years.

The current contract expires this spring and will be up for bid.

The union believes the City of Kelowna should take over the jail guard contract. But if not, CUPE is supporting the Commissionaires to win the upcoming bid, said Nott.

We will say this is much more than the Commissionaires ever offered us in bargaining.

Harry Nott