The lockout at the Sudbury Star continues with no immediate end in sight. Union members huddled at the Steel Hall Thursday night to consider proposals put forward by management earlier in the week, including a short term guarantee of no layoffs when the labour dispute ends.
The company offer was turned down by 71 per cent of the membership. A majority of the union members want a long-term guarantee on the dismissal issue.
Northern Ontario Newspaper Guild spokesperson Denis St. Pierre said after the union agreed to bring the short-term guarantee to the membership, the company slid in a requirement that workers use personal vehicles for company business.
The old contract listed the use of personal vehicles as a voluntary matter.
St. Pierre added the company indicated at the end of the lockout, it would be going to a nightly press run. Currently the Saturday and Sunday papers are done with a graveyard shift press run, but during the other five days the press run is in the morning.
That would throw lives into turmoil for the pressroom and mail room employees, he said.
?They put (the additional two items) on the table at the very last minute on Wednesday,? said St. Pierre.
?We were surprised, stunned that they would do those two things?we told them if this stays on the table you risk going again from a possible agreement to no agreement. That?s exactly what happened.?
