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City workers seeking collective agreement

70-plus city employees picket at Tom Davies Square

More than 70 city employees picketed at Tom Davies Square on May 10 in an effort to raise their concerns over the need for a new collective agreement for members of CUPE Local 4705.

According to the union's website, their Collective Agreement expired in March, and since well before that time, the bargaining team has been making efforts to negotiate in good faith with the employer to bring them closer to the adoption of a new collective agreement.

Union president Darryl Taylor addressed his union brother and sisters over a megaphone as the group prepared to march to the front steps of Tom Davies Square.

“You guys deliver the vital public services in this city,” said Taylor.

“I know we would have more people out here today but a lot of you are working.” 

Local 4705 members include transit operators, paramedics, public works, water and wastewater, arenas, libraries.

Taylor says that negotiations have been ongoing but at a slow pace.

“We've met with the employer for 23 days and negotiations are ongoing but they're dragging,” said Taylor.

“The purpose of what we're doing today is to send a message to city council, and to say to them that we're here, we're people, and we support our bargaining team and we want a fair and equitable contract for all.”

Members also sat in on the first 20 minutes of the evening's city council meeting before standing to display the messages on their shirts that they support their bargaining team and that they provide vital public services.

“I don't care what each of you do for the city, it doesn't matter, each one of you are part of a big machine and each one of you is an important part of public services that the wonderful citizens of  Sudbury depend on every single day,” said Taylor. 

For more on CUPE Sudbury visit www.cupesudbury.org/.


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