The school had said it had pushed for further mediation, but the union didn't take part

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – The results aren’t surprising. About 100 heating and cooling system employees at UBC’s main campus in Point Grey have voted unanimously to strike, if they don’t get what they want from the university.

The union says workers have been without a contract for over three years and they want retroactive pay.

During an interview earlier this week the union’s business manager had said that pickets could go up as early as Monday.

“Our members are mad that UBC management is trying to bully and intimidate them in ways no other union has faced in the education sector, demanding concessions on scheduling and threatening to withhold retroactive pay increases unless we give in,” said Adrian David following the vote.

“Our members have patiently waited over three years without a contract and now they are simply fed up with UBC management’s tactics. This strong strike mandate to take job action if necessary better be a wake-up call to UBC to drop concessions and bargain a fair collective agreement.”

David says they don’t want to take any action that will disrupt classes, but he insists they’ve run out of patience.

In an interview on Wednesday with NEWS 1130, UBC maintained that if picket lines went up it would not disrupt classes, adding the union has to give 72-hour strike notice before doing anything.

The school said it would also “seek an essential service designation from the Labour Relations Board.” The university went on to say it had asked for mediation but claims the union refused to participate.