Ontario elevator strike ends

Union, NEEA come to agreement after 2-month strike

A two-month strike that saw many elevators go out of service in Ontario is over.

The National Elevator and Escalator Association (NEEA) said the International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC) has accepted its offer to end the elevator strike

Workers at residential buildings in some areas of the province were ordered back on June 15 by the Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB). That’s because the province’s Labour Relations Act requires any strikes affecting construction of new residential buildings, as well as repairs at existing residential buildings, to end on June 15, 2013, for the City of Toronto, the Regions of Halton, Peel, York, Durham and the County of Simcoe.

But now all workers will be returning and should be back on the job by July 10, according to NEEA.

NEEA said the deal will allow member companies — including KONE, Otis, Schindler and ThyssenKrupp Elevator — to “achieve greater control over their workforce, increase flexibility over costs for customers and includes a wage increase for the next three years that is consistent with what other trades have received.”

Workers walked off the job on May 1.

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