The City of White Rock’s unionized employees are back on the job this week, following council’s acceptance of their new collective agreement.
City spokesperson Shannon Levesque confirmed Tuesday that council ratified the agreement with a unanimous vote (with Mayor Wayne Baldwin and Coun. Bill Lawrence absent) during an in-camera meeting held Monday.
The vote followed CUPE 402-01’s 80-per-cent acceptance Saturday of a four-year agreement that expires Dec. 31, 2015. The union had been without an agreement since the end of 2011.
The strike – the first in the city’s history – began May 1 with rotating job action, then expanded citywide on May 12.
Levesque reminded residents to leave their garbage, recyclables and green waste at the curb until it is collected – a process that may be delayed as workers catch up with aftermath from three full weeks without pickups.
“We appreciate everyone’s patience as we resume full service,” she said.