At a special meeting held last night, firefighters with the Town of St. Colomban (CUPE 7148) voted 89% in favour of resorting to pressure tactics.

“Since May 2023, we have been willing to negotiate in good faith with the employer, but all they’ve shown is resistance. At present, we’ve still not received a wage offer from the employer, which is unacceptable. Our members are exasperated by the slow-moving talks and they would like to show their displeasure,” explained Martin Macchabée, president of CUPE 7148.

The collective agreement covering St. Colomban firefighters expired on December 31, 2022. Only 11 meetings have been held since the union and the employer submitted their respective offers on January 31, 2024.  Another 11 were cancelled by either side.

“The employer has displayed a lack of respect at the bargaining table. Moreover, disinformation is making the rounds. The union has made every attempt to obtain the employer’s cooperation. We hope to see a significant change take place in order to conduct healthy negotiations,” said union representative Michelle Brideau.