Some closure for 17 Kelowna jail guards on Monday. After months of wage discontent and plans to strike, CUPE local 338 decided to accept the arbitration process. The arbitrator, Mark Brown, heard from both sides on Friday and made his decision today.
Financial details will not be released. Harry Nott, spokesman for the union says they don't want it to negatively impact Comissionaires BC's ability to bid on the contract. "Our main belief would be that it would be best for the city to bring the guards back in-house. In the event that they don't we would definitely prefer that the Comissionaires get the contract back."
Nott would say that the guards did not get what they were asking for but they understood why the arbitrator chose the number he did, and it was "a fair decision."
In a released statement, Julie Powers, VP of Operations for Commissionaires BC said:
Today, we received the arbitration award of Arbitrator Brown, which establishes the wage rates to be paid to our Kelowna Jail Guard represented by CUPE, and finalizes a Collective Agreement between the parties. We are very pleased with the contents of the Award and believe the wages ordered, which are largely consistent with the Employer’s offers in collective bargaining, are fair and reasonable.