Letter: Anger over Credit Union woes
By Alex Atamanenko
Dear Editor,
I am angry. The employees of Steller Vista Credit Union in Castlegar and Slocan Park have been on strike for over two months. They are doing so because management refuses to adequately address issues such as seniority, union security, language, hours of work and benefit roll back.
When I approached the Board of Directors in May with these concerns I was told that my “message has been heard clearly and is taken very seriously”. Two days ago workers on the picket line expressed their frustration with the slow pace of negotiations and also that Board members had not made an effort to visit the picket line to listen to their concerns. How can this be? We are a people’s credit union and not some gigantic corporate entity where employees are completely isolated from management.
What is more disturbing is the fact that the workers of Heritage Credit Union were told that their rights would be respected once the merger with Cranbrook took place. That is the main reason that I and other members supported this move. However, shortly thereafter half the staff in Castlegar quit and a few months later we have a strike.
I urge all members of Steller Vista Credit Union to contact our Board of Directors for a quick resolution to this conflict.
Alex Atamanenko
Castlegar
