SUDBURY/THUNDER BAY Employees with Ontario Library Services North (OLS-N) have asked the Ministry of Labour to issue a No Board report, starting the countdown to a strike January 24th.
Members voted 92% in favour of strike action if a settlement cannot be reached in mediated talks, said Wyman McKinnon, president of Local 4705 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). Our contract is under attack. The concessions this employer is demanding at the bargaining table would gut our collective agreement. Their wage offer is well below the average in settlements reached across the province this year.
The 14 members of Locals 4705 (Sudbury) and 2855 (Thunder Bay) of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) are librarians and administrative staff, providing library services to communities throughout North-Eastern and North-Western Ontario. The workers are seeking benefit improvements and a wage increase in line with what other workers in similar organizations across the province have received.
The employer has demanded concessions in benefits, sick leave and job security.
Conciliation talks broke down on January 5th, and mediated talks with the assistance of the Ministry of Labour are scheduled for January 23rd. The unionized employees have been working without a contract since April 1, 2002.
These workers have been more than reasonable with this employer over the years, said McKinnon. Wages for this group have only increased 2.5% over the past ten years, and thats well below the rate of inflation.
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For more information please contact:
Wyman McKinnon, President CUPE Local 4705
705-560-4705
Dennis Burke, CUPE National Rep
705-674-7557
Robert Lamoureux, CUPE Communications
416-292-3999