Employees at the Cowichan Valley Citizen could take job action after their union rejected a final contract offer from Black Press Media.
Black Press Media says it received strike notice Friday afternoon from the union, Victoria Vancouver Island Newspaper Guild, representing employees at the newspaper.
The company says its final offer included a 15 per cent increase to the sales team’s base wage grid, higher commission rates and two per cent annual wage increases for reporters and circulation employees over three years.
In a statement published on the Citizen newspaper, Black Press says the union’s latest counterproposal sought wage increases of up to 35 per cent over four years, along with changes to pension and benefit provisions.
The company says it remains committed to serving Cowichan Valley readers and advertisers.
Vista Radio has contacted the union and Black Press Media for comment.
