Cape Breton Regional Municipality’s (CBRM) outside and transit workers held a special membership meeting last night and decided to hold strike votes on Monday, November 19.
As CUPE National Representative Kathy MacLeod explains, “The members are frustrated with the fact that we have not had a contract for two years now. The strike votes will be taking place in Local 759 worksites across the municipality.”
CUPE 759’s last contract expired October 31, 2010.
MacLeod says, “On a more positive note, we have received dates from the Department of Labour for Conciliation talks. As a result, we will be back at the bargaining table on Thursday, November 22 and Friday, November 23.
“Conciliation Officer Ken Zwicker has been appointed to our talks and we look forward to working with him to try and ensure a negotiated settlement to this dispute. The last thing anyone wants to see is a disruption in service,” says MacLeod.
Local 759 represents 310 CBRM employees who work in Public Works, Solid Waste, Transit, Arenas, Water Department, Water Treatment, Wastewater, Parks and Grounds, Building Maintenance as well as Cleaners and Janitors.
For more information, please contact:
Francis O’Reilly
President, Local 759
(902) 578-9557 (Cell)
Kathy MacLeod
CUPE National Representative
(902) 578-3304 (Cell)
John McCracken
CUPE Communications Representative
(902) 455-4180