VANCOUVER, B.C.—The biggest labor group in British Columbia is calling on people to boycott a credit union here as long as its employees remain on strike.
As CUToday.info reported here, Westminster Savings Credit Union recently announced plans to shut down its Shaughnessy Station branch in Port Coquitlam, B.C., where eight employees have been on strike. In an email to its members, the credit union said the move is not related to the strike but instead has to do the size, location and declining use of the Shaughnessy Station branch. The employees, mostly women nearing retirement age,have been on strike since January.
MoveUP, the union representing the eight employees, and the B.C. Federation of Labour have now taken the rare step of asking unions, union members, and members of the public to boycott the credit union, according to the Star Vancouver. “They’re requesting parties withdraw all their funds from Westminster Savings account — except the minimum amount needed to be considered a voting member,” the report states.
The Star Vancouver reported the last boycott to be called by B.C. unions took place in 2011, with the federation asking members to refrain from using an Air Canada cafeteria at Vancouver International Airport.
Leanne Combs, one of the Westminster Savings employees on strike, told the Star Vancouver she’s already received an outpouring of support from credit union members and members of other unions opposing Westminster Savings’ decision to eliminate the branch.
‘Absolutely Choked’
“The credit union members are just absolutely choked. They want this branch to remain open,” Combs said. “We’re family with them, we help them with their life events, we share their tears, we share their laughter.”
The Star Vancouver reported it was provided with a statement via email from Westminster Savings spokesperson Jeff McDonald who said the move was “clearly an escalation of the labour dispute which could affect our non-struck operations. Westminster Savings is considering its position with regard to actions that we might take regarding the boycott.”
Westminster Savings is based in Surrey, B.C. and has $4 billion in assets and approximately 67,000 members.