With contract talks nearing the one-month mark, nearly 50 members of CUPE Local 4705 rallied outside of Tom Davies Square on June 25.
The local represents about 1,500 municipal workers. Of that, more than 800 are full- and part-time workers — classified as “inside workers” — in office work, clerical, technical, leisure programming, transit, libraries, museums, paramedical and social services.
More than 500 members of the local are classified as “outside workers,” responsible for mechanical work, maintenance on roads, parks and recreation and buildings, as well as water and wastewater, airport maintenance and firefighting.
Local 4705 president Mike Bellerose says talks have hit a crossroads, and the union has been without a contract since April. A Ministry of Labour conciliator will be brought in next week on July 3 and 4 as the public employees and their employer look to reach some middle ground.
"I'm not going into the nitty gritty of the details of the contract but we're just seeking some flex from the employer and they're not being flexible," said Bellerose. "We're not asking to be on the sunshine list, we're just looking for a fair deal."
Bellerose did indicate that there is a sticking point when it comes to hours and that a number of departments are working shorthanded more often than not.
"There's definitely too many members that are working understaffed," said Bellerose. "Contrary to public belief, there's not a lack of people that are working shorthanded on the front lines."
When workers voted June 10, the inside bargaining unit gave negotiators a 94-per-cent strike mandate, while the outside unit voted 97 per cent in favour of a strike mandate.
Because the union represents paramedics, in order for a strike to occur an essential ambulance service act (EASA) would have to first be negotiated so that in the event of a strike the health and welfare of public health and welfare is still being looked after.
"We're not looking to diminish anyone's health and safety, we're just looking for something that's right and fair," said Bellerose. "We also represent people working in waste collection*, water wastewater, libraries, arenas, people that you say hello to on a daily basis."
If ministry conciliation does not resolve the contract negotiations, both sides can seek a no board from the ministry and 17 days from that, a strike or a lockout can be put in place.
Counting forward from the July 3 and 4 dates where both sides will be meeting with the conciliator, up to 1,500 public employees could be on strike or locked out from their workplaces by July 21.
"Provided a no board is asked for (there could be a strike), it doesn't necessarily mean that's going to happen, we could ask for more conciliation dates," said Bellerose.
"Ultimately it does put us in a position that it could happen, we don't want to strike but we're going to fight for what we believe is right and we hope that mayor and council are going to put pressure on their negotiating committee for a fair deal."
*In an earlier version of this story, we quoted Michael Bellerose saying the union represents recycling workers. That was incorrect. The union represents waste collection workers.
