The labor union representing employees at the waste-to-energy plant in Metro Vancouver has announced that workers have gone on strike against their employer. Unifor’s Local 433 made the decision to start the strike following what it characterizes as Veolia’s request for contract concessions from the workforce. The union has reported that approximately 40 steam engineers and other skilled trades personnel have commenced picketing the Burnaby facility operated by Veolia.
According to the company’s official website, the plant handles around a quarter of the area’s solid waste, generating sufficient electricity to supply 16,000 households. Discussions on contract concessions between the union and the company came to a halt last month. Unifor’s western regional director, Gavin McGarrigle, emphasized in a statement that Veolia’s expenses are predominantly fixed for the next four years owing to its municipal waste contract, and employees are opposed to compromising on their contractual terms.