City of Cornwall union workers vote for strike

Nick Seebruch
City of Cornwall union workers vote for strike
CUPE protesters outside of Cornwall City Hall on Monday

CORNWALL, Ontario – Members of four CUPE councils that represent municipal employees voted overwhelmingly for a strike on Tuesday night.

CUPE Locals 234, 3251, 3251-01 and 5734 which represent “indoor” and “outdoor” workers as well as paramedics and librarians vote in favour of a strike mandate by 93 percent.

The library workers in the City have been without a contract since 2015, the others have been working without a contract since 2016.

“We are focussed on getting a settlement,” said CUPE National Representative Keith Sandford. “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.”

No date has yet been set for a strike or lockout.

The City and the unions will enter into concilliation talks at the end of March facilitated by a representative from the Ministry of Labour.

“We need to see progress toward settlement during the bargaining dates we have at the end of March,” said Alison Denis, a CUPE National Representative who works with Cornwall paramedics. “This strike vote result tells us clearly that the process needs to head in the direction of resolution.”

These four local CUPE councils represent about 450 municipal employees.

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