Employees of SRI Homes, a modular home building company in Kelowna, went on strike Feb. 11 after being without a contract since July 2024. 

The workers are part of United Steelworkers Local 1-423 Kelowna

"[The workers] are getting frustrated. There are a lot of outstanding issues and we feel that the employer isn't coming to the table seriously enough to get a deal done," said Local 1-423 president Pat McGregor.

McGregor added that money has yet to be brought into negotiations. 

"We have so many outstanding issues from the members in regards to the way they're treated on the floor and some other issues that we're trying to address... This is one of the first job actions I've been apart of that doesn't have to do with money," McGregor said. 

"As workers will tell you, it's quite a toxic environment inside the plant."

Patrick Emrich has worked for SRI for 32 years. He stood on the picket line with a sign asking the employers to settle the 200 outstanding grievances from staff. 

"There's been times when you try to have a discussion with upper management and they just kind of look at you, shrug their shoulders like, 'It's not a big deal. Go back to work and we'll deal with it later'. But later never comes," Emrich noted, adding that some grievances go back two to three years.

"We're not happy with the work environment right now," McGregor said. 

The company's General Manager Darren Bassett was on site while workers picketed at the gates, but refused to comment to media. 

SRI made news in January 2024 for undermining a wage agreement with the union. The business was ordered to pay $30,000 to USW Local 1-423 after a labour relations arbitrator found the modular home building company had violated the collective bargaining agreement. 

That same month, SRI failed to meet a deadline for work orders set out by WorkSafeBC after a biological hazard was found on Dec. 6, 2023. 

In November 2024, SRI Homes was the site of an announcement from the Mayor's Task Force on Standardized Modular Factory Built Homes of streamlining factory built homes and rapid delivery of affordable housing. Mayors from Penticton, Burnaby and Prince George were in attendance. 

Capital News will be following this story as it develops.