CORNWALL, Ontario – The Canadian Union of Public Service Employees (CUPE) announced in a press release on Tuesday, May 29 that the City of Cornwall had rejected their most recent offer.
“Representatives of CUPE locals 234, 3251, 3251-01 and 5734 met on Thursday, May 24, and Friday, May 25, with the City of Cornwall,” the CUPE press release reads. “CUPE made a substantive offer to address the City’s stated concerns in bargaining. CUPE made a major move that could have ended the current strike.”
The union stated that they received word from the City that they had rejected their most recent offer and had instead requested a supervised vote of their most recent offer to the Union.
According the CUPE the offer made to the union by the City on May 15 the day before the strike began contained provisions that were rejected by 93 percent of their members in the strike mandate.
“CUPE’s representatives remain committed to the bargaining process,” said Alison Denis, CUPE National Representative. “We hope the City is able to exhibit some of the same resolve to find a negotiated settlement. So far, they appear to be happy to keep people out on strike and have Cornwall residents go without vital services. We are disappointed, but we remain available to bargain if the City changes its mind.”
The date for the supervised vote will be determined by the Ministry of Labour.
The City for its part said that it believed that its employees should hear the offer that their union rejected.
“It is important that our employees are well informed and fully aware of the City’s fair best and final offer,” said Mayor O’Shaughnessy in an emailed statement to the media from the City of Cornwall.
The City said that it would be preparing materials to communicate their offer directly to the employees.
“The City would also like to recognize that our employees have conducted their activities with professionalism, courtesy and respect for our residents through this labour disruption,” the statement reads.
