Outside workers are scheduled to vote on Sunday on a tentative deal reached with the City of Vancouver, while library workers are said to be close to reaching an agreement with negotiators.

Vancouver city spokesman Jerry Dobrovolny speaks Friday about the tentative deal with outside workers.
(CBC)

City spokesman Jerry Dobrovolny told CBC News Friday afternoon that the tentative agreement is consistent with the recommendations made by mediator Brian Foley, whose proposed deal was rejected by union members on Tuesday night.

"After two days of discussion, the City of Vancouver and Metro Vancouver negotiators have reached a tentative agreement," he said.

"CUPE 1004 will vote on Sunday and the executives of 1004 will recommend adoption," he said.

Dobrovolny said the tentative agreement doesn't stray far from the one the union rejected Tuesday but the union said it made gains in contract language, grievance procedures and overtime and back-to-work provisions.

"I feel relieved that the dispute has ended," said Mike Jackson, president of CUPE Local 1004. "I hope that [Local] 391 the library [workers] can reach an agreement as well because they have not reached an agreement."

CUPE Local 1004 president Mike Jackson says he's hoping the library workers can reach a deal soon.
(CBC)

Alex Youngberg, president of CUPE Local 391, said the 800 library workers have been overshadowed by the inside and outside workers during the whole negotiation process.

"We're centre stage now. We're the last local left out there and people can consider our issues," Youngberg said Friday.

The library workers are expected to meet with city negotiators Saturday and sources said the union was close to reaching a deal with the city.

For the 1,800 outside workers, they are set to vote on a deal on Sunday. Two-thirds of union members have to vote to accept the deal in order for it to ratify the agreement, according to a CUPE Local 1004 bylaw.

The city will give the outside workers 14 days to return to work rather than the 10 days recommended by Foley, because many of the outside workers have taken other work during the strike, Dobrovolny said.

Foley's non-binding recommendations, tabled on Oct. 5, include a 17.5 per cent pay hike over five years, a $1,000 signing bonus, whistleblower rules, no loss of seniority, vacation pay and sick pay during the strike, and limits on contracting out by the city.

The outside workers walked off the job on July 20. Library staff have been off the job since July 26, closing 22 library branches.

Inside workers who went on strike on July 23 are back on the job after accepting Foley's deal on Tuesday night.