As of April 30, 2025, unionized staff at our Castlegar and Slocan Park branches, represented by United Steelworkers Local 1-405, have begun strike action following an extended period of negotiations without resolution.

Please note that services may be limited, and when open, wait times may be longer than usual during these hours.

All other StellerVista locations and services continue to operate as normal. There are no disruptions expected outside of the two branches noted above.

We respect the right of employees to take job action, though we are very disappointed by this outcome. StellerVista remains committed to good-faith discussions and a fair resolution. We have extended offers to both resume negotiations and participate in mediation, and we strongly encourage the union to engage with us so that we can reach an agreement and minimize inconvenience to our members.

We thank you for your continued support and understanding. Updates will be posted to this page as the situation evolves.

StellerVista Credit Union acknowledges that the United Steelworkers (USW) Local 1-405 has issued strike notice for our Castlegar and Slocan Park branches. While we respect the union’s legal right to take job action, we firmly believe that the best resolution can only be achieved through good faith negotiations aimed at reaching a fair and sustainable collective agreement.

Our goal in these negotiations is clear: to modernize our collective agreements to ensure StellerVista can remain a strong, competitive, and locally-based financial institution in today’s rapidly evolving financial services landscape. The merger of Heritage and East Kootenay Community Credit Unions was one such necessary strategic action, driven by our commitment to maintaining a viable, sustainable presence in our small communities well into the future. Aligning our organization with current market practices and industry standards is essential because outdated systems and contracts no longer meet the realities and challenges of today’s financial environment. For the sake of the continuing viability of the Credit Union, we need competitive terms throughout the Collective Agreement.

“We are working hard to build a strong, sustainable credit union that can continue to serve our local communities for generations to come. Modernizing our operations and employment practices is not optional — it is necessary to stay competitive and resilient in today’s financial landscape. We deeply value our employees and are committed to achieving a fair agreement, while securing a healthy future for our credit union and its members,” says StellerVista CEO, Jody Burk. 

Our proposals focus on maintaining the existing strong compensation structure, which is already notably higher than comparable industries in our region.

We are addressing critical updates to employment practices. Legacy conditions and systems, established decades ago, are simply no longer viable in the current environment. These updates will ensure we have the operational flexibility that will allow us to continue to meet the banking needs of our members. Such modernization is essential—not just to compete effectively but to continue providing stable employment and exceptional service to our nearly 20,000 members.

StellerVista does not believe that bargaining through the media will advance the Union and the  Company in reaching a negotiated Collective Agreement.  We applied for the service of a mediator through the Labour Relations Board and, although the Union chose to opt out of mediation and take a strike vote instead, we have dates in May scheduled to meet with them with the help of a Mediator. We regret that the union has chosen a path of public confrontation rather than meaningful negotiation.

Nevertheless, we remain open and willing to resume negotiations, with the clear objective of reaching a mutually beneficial agreement.

Board Chair, Lynnette Wray stated, “StellerVista’s Board stands firmly behind the need to modernize and strengthen our credit union to meet the realities of today’s marketplace. We are committed to fairness, to supporting our employees, and to ensuring that StellerVista remains a vital, local presence for years to come. We remain hopeful that a respectful and productive resolution can be reached at the bargaining table.”

StellerVista remains committed to our employees, our members, and the communities we serve. We urge USW Local 1-405 to return to the bargaining table and engage constructively in reaching an agreement that secures a sustainable future for our employees, our members, and our credit union.

We sincerely thank our members for their ongoing patience, trust, and understanding during this challenging time.

For more information, please contact:

Jeff Fero

Director of Marketing, StellerVista Credit Union

1.866.960.6666

[email protected]

StellerVista would like to formally acknowledge, and transparently share, receipt of strike notice issued by United Steelworkers Local 1-405 today, April 25th, on behalf of our Castlegar and Slocan Valley Branches (no other departments or branches are involved).

We respect the legal right of employees to engage in collective bargaining and, if necessary, to take strike action as part of that process.

Our priority remains to continue negotiations in good faith to reach a fair and sustainable agreement that balances the interests of our employees, our organization, and the communities we serve. We are also committed to minimizing any potential disruption and will implement contingency plans as necessary to maintain services should these branches choose to strike. We will provide members with an immediate update should that happen. 

TO CLARIFY: This labour action applies only to our Castlegar and Slocan Valley branches. All other StellerVista branches and departments remain open and operating as normal.

We value the contributions of all our employees and are hopeful that a mutually acceptable resolution can be reached without the need for job action. We will continue to keep our employees, clients, and the public informed as developments occur.