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Langley school maintenance workers mount picket campaign

Workers are not on strike, but are letting public know about impasse in contract negotiations.
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Les Morrison, Jim Quick and Rodney Gill were among the Langley School District maintenance employees protesting outside the board office Monday. They were protesting the stall in contract negotiations between the school district and local 1851 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees.

Several protests outside the Langley School District board office this week have focused on the lack of contract negotiations between the district and local 1851 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE).

The union local represents janitors, trades people and other maintenance workers for the district.

The workers were outside the board office on their lunch break Monday. About 30 people held signs and marched outside the building. Several motorists honked to encourage them.

Richard Frost, local 1851 president, said a similar protest took place Tuesday at noon and before the final board of education meeting of the school year on Tuesday night.

He told The Times that employees took a strike vote seven weeks ago, and have been without a contract since last year. Negotiations are "at an impasse," he said.

CUPE locals across B.C. have been upset that there have been virtually no movement on resolving contracts for school support staff. While local districts play a part in negotiations, the contracts also involve the B.C. Public School Employers Association, making the process more complex.