The union representing thousands of City of Vancouver workers has filed a formal complaint with the B.C. Labour Relations Board, accusing the municipality of deceitful and unfair labour practices during recent contract negotiations.
Allegations of Withheld Information
CUPE Local 15, which represents more than 4,000 employees across city operations, the park board, and community centres, submitted its complaint on December 24. The union alleges city management intentionally concealed plans for significant workforce reductions while negotiating a new collective agreement in 2025.
"We believe the city intentionally withheld critical information during bargaining," said CUPE 15 acting president Santino Scardillo. "They knew they intended to eliminate hundreds of members' positions, and that was deceitful and unfair to not share all the information."
The union contends the city violated the Labour Relations Code by failing to bargain in good faith. According to the complaint, the city knew as early as June 2025 about potential job cuts but did not disclose this during active negotiations. The information only emerged after the collective agreement was finalized and ratified.
The Budget Context Behind the Cuts
The planned job reductions stem from council directives to find major budget savings. In June 2025, city staff warned that a seven per cent property tax increase was needed to maintain services. Council's ABC Vancouver majority then ordered staff to find "efficiencies" to limit the hike to 3.5 per cent.
By October, the directive intensified, with council demanding $120 million in savings or new revenue to achieve a full property tax freeze. An internal memo from the city manager's office in November estimated this would require cutting the equivalent of roughly 400 full-time positions.
Of those 400 positions, approximately 270 were expected to be union jobs represented by CUPE and other unions, with the remaining 130 being exempt, non-union roles. The final budget for 2026 was approved by council with these cuts in mind.
City Response and Next Steps
A City of Vancouver spokesperson confirmed on Friday that the municipality has received the union's application and has retained legal counsel. "The city is in the process of reviewing and responding to the application," the spokesperson stated in an email.
The complaint now rests with the B.C. Labour Relations Board, which will review the allegations that the city breached its duty to bargain honestly by not revealing its restructuring plans during negotiations. The outcome could set a significant precedent for labour relations in the public sector.
For the thousands of municipal workers represented by CUPE Local 15, the complaint represents a fight for transparency and fair process amidst a major workforce restructuring that will reshape City Hall operations.
