Talks involving Vancouver's 2,000 outside workers — including garbage collectors — came to an abrupt end late Tuesday, with no signs of reaching an agreement that could prevent job action on Thursday.

Road work is just one area that might be affected by job action if Vancouver's outside workers don't reach a settlement with the city.
(CBC)

Mike Jackson, president of CUPE Local 1004, said the union presented a new offer to the employers but city negotiators left the bargaining table.

Jackson said unless something changes dramatically, job action will begin on Thursday morning.

"We had a proposal for them to get a deal at least going," he said. "The employers listened to what we have to say … but as of six o'clock they have just left the building."

But city spokesman Jerry Dobrovolny said negotiators left the room simply to consider the offer.

"We've taken away what the union proposed and we've informed the mediator that we'll be considering how to respond now to the union's offer," Dobrovolny said, conceding the two sides are still very far apart.

The union issued strike notice on Monday, moments after the B.C. Labour Relations Board handed down an essential-services ruling that said only emergency and lifeguard services would have to be maintained during a strike.

'All we're asking for is job security past the Olympics.'—CUPE Local 1004 president Michael Jackson

Jackson said he hopes a full-blown strike can be averted, but it is up to the city to make contract offers that address union concerns, including whistleblower clauses, contract length and hiring practices.

The outside workers will be under a work-to-rule order and an overtime ban starting at 11 a.m. Thursday, he said.

"The city obviously wants security for the Olympics," said Jackson. "All we're asking for is job security past the Olympics. When the Olympics are over and the bills start rolling in, we will get pinched in negotiations when it comes to the next round and those will probably be zeros."

Garbage collection might be affected by job action by CUPE Local 1004.
(CBC)

A strike would severely affect city services, including garbage collection.

The city's parks board says cleanup efforts from winter storms in Stanley Park also could be delayed if private contractors hired to haul out logs refuse to cross a picket line.

Vancouver's 3,500 inside workers have also been threatening to strike and will vote on what the city called a "final offer" on Thursday.

If that offer is rejected, those workers would also enter a legal strike position.

Job action could spill out to surrounding municipalities.

Approximately 9,000 unionized civic workers from 11 Lower Mainland municipalities are in a legal strike position.

Most have been without a contract since December 2006.

With files from the Canadian Press