Employees without contracts since 2015, 2016: CUPE
Municipal workers in Cornwall, Ont., gave their union a strong strike mandate following votes held over the last two weeks.
The workers — who are represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) — work for the city in outside jobs, inside jobs, at the library and as paramedics. Their combined average strike vote was 93 per cent in favour of taking strike action if necessary. No strike/lockout deadline has as yet been established, said the union.
The workers have been without a contract since 2015 (in the case of the library) and 2016 (in the case of the others). They remain frustrated by both the pace of negotiations and the barriers to settlement that they are facing at the bargaining table, according to CUPE.
“We are focused on getting a settlement,” said Keith Sandford, CUPE National Representative. “But our members have told us clearly through this vote that they will take job action if they must, for fair working conditions and to defend the quality of public services in Cornwall.”
The locals and the city will enter conciliation at the end of March, said the union.
The CUPE locals represent about 450 municipal workers delivering services to the residents of Cornwall.
