LABOUR Minister Jennifer Whiteside on Saturday said in a statement about the Emergency Communications Professionals labour dispute that she has appointed Vince Ready as a special mediator under the Labour Relations Code to work with the union, CUPE Local 8911, and the employer, Emergency Communications for British Columbia, to assist the parties in negotiating a renewed collective agreement.

Ready will begin work with the parties on Saturday, June 6 for a period of up to 10 days to help the parties reach a settlement. If a settlement is not reached, Ready will issue binding recommendations on all outstanding issues.

Whiteside said: “I would like to thank Mr. Ready for agreeing to take on this important work. I am grateful to the parties, who jointly requested the appointment and have agreed to binding recommendations as part of their efforts to find a resolution.

“I encourage both parties to work together with the special mediator, with urgency and determination, to reach a fair and timely agreement.”

E-Comm said in a statement: “E-Comm and CUPE 8911 mutually reached out to BC’s Ministry of Labour yesterday with the request for a special mediator, as CUPE 8911 had previously declined E-Comm’s offers for assistance through both mediation and interest arbitration.”

Greg Conner, vice-president of People and Culture at E-Comm, said: “Our priority from the beginning of collective bargaining has been to reach a fair and equitable agreement that supports our employees and the vital work they do, while ensuring the continuity of the critical services British Columbians rely on. We welcome Vince Ready’s appointment as special mediator and are committed to working cooperatively to finalize an agreement over the coming week.”