With negotiations stalled, the Town of Oakville’s roads, parks, recreation and fleet services staff have voted nearly unanimously in favour of strike action.
More than 97 per cent of the 250 full-time staff voted in support of strike action, following the town’s Oct. 10 application for a “no board” report from the Ontario Labour Relations Board.
That declaration begins the 17-day countdown toward a legal lockout or strike, which could happen as early as Nov. 2, according to the union’s website.
The union is disappointed that the town opted to “start the clock ticking to a possible lockout of our members instead of engaging in meaningful negotiations,” said Peter Knafelc, president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 136, which represents the workers.
“They say they don’t plan to lock us out, but their actions are clearly a threat intended to intimidate us into accepting their demands that we move backwards on collective agreement rights.”
The employee group includes drivers, technicians, cemetery, park and harbour staff, heavy equipment operators and mechanics.
Their collective agreement expired in February.
A press release from CUPE says that wages are at “a sticking point, as the town’s proposals do not keep up with current trends in municipal collective agreements.”
It added that the town is demanding concessions that would restrict the employee health plan to generic drugs, as well as looking for changes to hours of work and collective agreement language recognizing public holidays.
“Nobody wants to strike, but the town needs to understand that the workers are strongly united. It’s time for the employer to get back to the table, withdraw their demands that we roll back longstanding rights, and focus on recruiting and retaining staff,” said Knafelc.
“Town staff are working harder than ever, not least because the town has kept staffing levels flat despite years of rapid growth. The people of Oakville deserve better.”
The town’s communications department was not available to comment over the weekend.