LONDON, ON – CUPE 101, representing the City of London’s striking ‘inside’ workers, is urging City Council to do what it takes to end this strike, as council prepares for a special meeting scheduled for this evening.
“City Council should use this opportunity to discuss ways to end this strike,” said Shelley Navarroli, president of CUPE 101. “As elected leaders, they should be asking why are workers still out on strike when we have offered different options to end this strike, including sending the outstanding issues to a neutral third party for arbitration so workers can go back to work for London residents.”
Many of the services delivered by the ‘inside’ workers have been affected by the strike, including building permits, impacting the construction and trades business, services to Ontario Works’ clients, the closure of Tourism London offices, registration of children’s recreational programs, among others. “Council needs to ask senior management questions that we have not been able to get a straight answer for,” said Navarroli. “As elected leaders, they should be asking the following questions:
- What is the city’s agenda that is preventing the city from settling this strike?
- Why did the city not respond to the union’s latest proposal that addressed the outstanding issues but, instead, reverted back to their original position, with minor changes?
- Why are the city representatives at the bargaining table not following the mayor’s mantra that bargaining is give-and-take when all the city wants to do is force contract takeaways that they cannot demonstrate a need for?
- Why has the city not been able to demonstrate the need for the contract takeaways that led to the strike? Why is the city not prepared to have full discussions on their needs so both parties can try to find a resolution to the outstanding issues to settle the strike?
- Why is the city holding public services hostage over outstanding issues that are internal in nature, like the job evaluation process and seniority language over promotions?
- How will the strike end if the city refuses to bargain and says no to the union’s offer of sending outstanding issues to arbitration?
“Our members want to go back to work to serve London residents,” continued Navarroli. “We have compromised on the outstanding issues, but the city has not budged and the strike will not end if the city is not willing to bargain or refuses our offer to go to arbitration. So council must take the lead and look for ways to end this strike – as leaders, it is their job to look for a resolution to the strike that is affecting the City of London.”
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For further information, please contact:
Shelley Navarroli, CUPE 101 President, 519-432-6695
Fred Blake, CUPE National Representative, 519-433-1754
James Chai, CUPE Communications, 416-458-3983
