---
title: "VSB support staff vote 96.9% in favour of a strike"
description: "The union representing 900 Vancouver School Board support staff says members voted 96.9 per cent in favour of a strike over the weekend, and could serve 72-hour strike notice at any time."
canonical_url: "https://voche.me/news/vsb-support-staff-strike-vote-october-5"
last_updated: "2026-10-10T04:01:13.390Z"
---

The union representing Vancouver School Board (VSB) support staff says members voted 96.9 per cent in favour of a strike over the weekend, CityNews Vancouver reported on October 5, 2026.

The International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 963 says negotiations with VSB management have stalled and that a strike may be necessary to reach a new collective agreement. The union says its members could serve 72-hour strike notice at any time.

Union manager Tim De Vivo told CityNews the 96.9 per cent vote reflected how strongly members felt about management's demands. "Our members have rarely gone on strike at Vancouver schools; we are committed to keeping students warm, safe, dry, and fed, but the demands of VSB management are unfair and unnecessary," he said.

The union says it represents 900 VSB employees. Members work as building engineers, custodians, food service workers, supervision aides, and trade-qualified maintenance engineers, among other roles. IUOE Local 963 is not the only union with members at the VSB; the strike authorization covers only its 900 members.

De Vivo said VSB management is seeking to reduce the skill level of some positions, which he said ran against broader workforce needs: "At a time when the entire world is urgently seeking more skilled workers, VSB is trying to de-skill the jobs of some of our members, and that's not on."

No strike has started. The union must serve 72 hours of advance notice before members can walk off the job. The union has not announced when or whether it will file that notice.

CityNews Vancouver said it reached out to the VSB for comment. No response from VSB management was included in the article, and this site found none published before this article was written.

The Vancouver School Board is an elected body. Voters choose School Board trustees on October 17, 2026. You can review School Board candidates at [/candidates](/candidates). Advance voting is available on October 7, 10, and 13, with locations listed at [/where-to-vote](/where-to-vote).

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