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Kootenay Savings Credit Union, United Steel Workers union reach tentative agreement

Provisional agreement has been reached between KSCU and the union.
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Kootenay Savings Credit Union staff members represented by the United Steelworkers Local 9705 walked the picket line after being locked out on Friday morning.

The pickets lines were down as promising news came from Kootenay Savings Credit Union (KSCU) and its unionized staff this week.

Both parties announced early Thursday that a provisional agreement was reached the day before. However, both sides are staying silent on negotiated terms.

"We've reached a tentative agreement," confirmed Jeff Bromley, United Steelworkers (USW) spokesperson. "(There are) still some things to get through, more details (will be available) as they come."

Following a year of failed negotiations and work-to-rule job action in late October, KSCU held a one-day lockout on Oct. 28.

The credit union stated that union employees locked out that day, were expected to return for their next scheduled shift.

Instead, USW members hit the picket lines and remained there until late Wednesday.

As a result of the labour disruption, Fruitvale and Salmo branches have been closed since Nov. 1. Other affected locales in Trail, Castlegar, and South Slocan remained open weekdays but with reduced hours.

United Steelworkers Local 9705 (Trail) and Local 1-405 in Cranbrook, representing 110 employees at KSCU branches and offices in Trail, Fruitvale, Salmo, Castlegar, South Slocan, Kaslo and Kimberley.

At stake, according to the union, was pension protection and lack of a wage increase for two years.