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Barrie The Township of Wellington North appears to be getting ready for a showdown with its employees, members of CUPE Local 255.

The township has advertised for replacement workers for snow removal. That is not a good sign heading into mediation scheduled for Tuesday, December 17th, 2002 at the Holiday Inn in Guelph, said CUPE National Representative Jim Keenan.

Councillor Broomhead, who seems to have appointed himself spokesperson for the township, has misled the public by stating employees were already making as much as $20.10 per hour, Keenan said.

The Township of Wellington North has chosen to use Centre Wellington as a comparator to justify water rate increases, but refuses to use the same comparator for employee wage rates, Keenan said.

At the previous meeting, the union tabled a four-year deal with flexible increment adjustments to achieve a contract. Besides achieving a fair agreement, this would also free the township from some future legal costs for negotiations because collective agreements are normally for two-year terms, Keenan said.

The union is participating in the mediation process with the intent of reaching a negotiated settlement. We hope the township’s representatives share this point of view.

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For more information contact:

Jim Keenan, CUPE National Representative, 705-722-7387
Pat Daley, CUPE Communications, 416-292-3999