Sault Ste Marie city workers vote to strike

PWT unionized employers have given their negotiating committee a 100 per cent strike mandate.

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Sault Ste. Marie public works employees have voted 100 per cent in favour of a strike.

Sault Ste Marie city workers vote to strike Back to video

CUPE Local 3 employees are looking for a wage increase to keep up with the “skyrocketing” cost of living. The union also argues that the city needs to retain and recruit more employees. The strike vote was taken Jan. 4 and gives the negotiating team a strong mandate heading into the conciliation process. CUPE said it filed for conciliation Jan. 3. The collective agreement expires Jan. 31. “Throughout the storms, nothing in the Sault had to shut down and this is because of the labour of CUPE workers who are this city’s winter crews,” said Marco Niro, president of CUPE Local 3. “Snow removal crews really went above and beyond, even as short staffed as we are.” Deputy Commissioner of Public Works Larry Girardi confirmed Monday that the negotiation process is ongoing.

He said the city will continue to negotiate at the bargaining table and is hopeful a fair deal can be reached. Niro said in each of the last four years, city workers only had pay increases of two per cent or less. “With inflation reaching eight per cent at times last year, most of the wage increases we got have already been eaten away, meaning my co-workers and I are no further ahead than we were in 2019 while the cost of basics, like food and filling up the gas tank, have gone way up since then,” Niro said in a press release. Girardi said he’s hopeful that a “reasonable” collective agreement can be achieved during the ongoing process. He admits the hiring and retaining staff continues to be an issue, similar to challenges the entire construction sector is facing across Sault Ste. Marie and beyond.

The issue is further plagued by a competitive industry locally, Girardi said. “We are trying to meet those challenges,” he added. There currently are vacancies in the department and Girardi said the city is working on training its newer employees. “A lot of people don’t want to work in the construction field anymore,” he said. “It’s hard to find that talent pool and everyone in the construction sector is experiencing the same issue.” “I can’t say much more at this time because we are in negotiations.” He said the negotiation process is similar to others in the past and understands that the cost of living is an issue at the bargaining table. Employees have continued to do their work duties as expected. “We will address the issues as best we can, but certainly we get our mandate from city council,” Girardi said.