Long strike on Vancouver Island ends in settlement

Thursday 06 February, 2020
For immediate release

Victoria, BC – The sixty IAM Local 456 members working at three car dealerships in Nanaimo and Victoria reached a tentative agreement with Subaru of Nanaimo, Mercedes-Benz Nanaimo and Three Point Motors Victoria. They had been on strike since Friday, 13 December, 2019.

The ratification vote was conducted in Victoria and Nanaimo on the 12^th and 13^th of February respectively and was accepted by a large majority of the membership.

Both parties agreed to a three-year agreement with terms and conditions taking effect the day after the ratification. There were wage increases retroactive to September 1, 2019, an increase in the tool allowance and tool insurance and improvements on payment for travel time involved in training, including accommodation and meals. There were also improvements and clarification on seniority-based shifts, a $1,000 signing bonus for all workers on ratification, as well as a 2% increase in every year of the agreement.

John Humphrey, IAM District 250 Business Representative said, “I’m very proud to stand next to these strong members who held the line to the bitter end in their fight to protect their rights and the rights of others in the workplace.”

“We want to celebrate the solidarity the members showed with each other and with the union,” said Andrew Tricker, also IAM District 250 Business Representative. “They saw the strength in each other – and that made them stronger.”

The members are technicians, service advisors and parts and details staff, have been represented by the IAM for more than thirty years. IAM Local 456 was chartered by the IAM in 1901 and has represented workers on Vancouver Island since that time.

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For more information:
John Humphrey, Business Representative, IAM District 250 – jhumphrey@iam250.org
Andrew Tricker, Business Representative, IAM District 250 – atricker@iam250.org