Picketing employees greeted thousands of students returning to classes at the University of Victoria this week.

But the two unions currently undertaking job action say students wonB次元官网网址檛 be impacted by the strike until Sept. 17 at the earliest.

B次元官网网址淲hat would (the strike) look like from the week of the 17th on if the employer is not back at the bargaining table? The unions will have to start impacting buildings and services that would have an impact on students,B次元官网网址� said Doug Sprenger, president of CUPE 951. B次元官网网址淲e really hope to avoid this, and we call on the employer to come back to the bargaining table.B次元官网网址�

Wednesday (Sept. 5) was the first day CUPE 917 and 951 took job action. The two unions represent some 1,500 non-teaching jobs such as tradespeople, food service staff, childcare workers, and office and library staff, and have both been without contracts since March 31, 2010.

Members of CUPE 917 started picketing outside the Saunders building on campus at 9 a.m. Wednesday. CUPE 951 members didnB次元官网网址檛 picket, but that union instituted an overtime ban and work-to-rule policies.

Sprenger said there are no plans for a full strike during September, but noted the unions wonB次元官网网址檛 share information about when and where job action will take place.

B次元官网网址淲e have to keep the employer guessing as to where and when the picket line will go up,B次元官网网址� he said.

At issue for the unions is job security and inflation protection, Sprenger said.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e very disappointed that after two years of collective bargaining not one issue of substance has been signed off. We feel that with the impending budget cuts, we have no other alternative than to take strike action to achieve our goal of a fair and reasonable settlement,B次元官网网址� he said.

The university, in a press release on Tuesday, expressed B次元官网网址渄isappointmentB次元官网网址� that the unions were poised to take job action.

B次元官网网址淲hile the two locals have spent the summer putting themselves in a legal position to take job action, they have yet to respond with a counter offer to the universityB次元官网网址檚 settlement offer made nearly two and a half months ago,B次元官网网址� UVic said.

B次元官网网址淲e are prepared to sit down at any time because thatB次元官网网址檚 where an agreement is going to be reached,B次元官网网址� said Bruce Kilpatrick, UVicB次元官网网址檚 director of communications.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e been planning for the possibility of job action for several months now. B次元官网网址� I would never say that we have prepared for all eventualities, weB次元官网网址檝e done good preparation and good planning, and depending on what job action is taken, weB次元官网网址檙e in a good position to respond.B次元官网网址�

In late August, the unions and UVic went before the Labour Relations Board to negotiate essential service levels.

Among the issues of contention between the employer and the unions was staffing for residence food and custodial services. While food services werenB次元官网网址檛 deemed an essential service, the employment of one cleaning service worker is essential.

Neither of those will be impacted, however, until at least Sept. 17. Sprenger said classrooms, labs, the bookstore and UVic childcare will operate as normal for the time being.

Employees who could strike prior to Sept. 17, with no or little direct impact on students, include electricians, plumbers, grounds workers, painters, carpenters, auditorium staff, office and technical workers.

B次元官网网址淚 think itB次元官网网址檚 fair to say that any kind of job action has the potential to have an impact on students,B次元官网网址� Kilpatrick said. B次元官网网址淚f nothing else, at the very least it would draw off people who would otherwise be doing things that would benefit students.B次元官网网址�

The two other unions at the university B次元官网网址� CUPE 4163 and the Professional Employees Association B次元官网网址� support the job action.

B次元官网网址淚f there is a picket line outside your building, we are recommending that you show your support by not crossing. If you are in a position to do so, we are certain the strikers will appreciate you joining them on the line for some time,B次元官网网址� said Greg Melnechuk, CUPE 4163 president, in a statement to his members.

B次元官网网址淪olidarity as union members is our strength. The more effective the picket line B次元官网网址� the greater the likelihood that it will be a shorter strike.B次元官网网址�

kslavin@saanichnews.com