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Brantford – Public library workers, who have been on strike since September 12, are ready to negotiate and have booked a meeting room to show they mean business.

The bargaining committee for CUPE Local 181 will be waiting to meet with the Brantford Public Library’s negotiators on Monday at 9:00 a.m. at the Best Western Brant Park Inn.

“We’re tired of the library board saying that they are willing to negotiate,” said Local 181 President Andrew Hunter. “We called the mediator a week ago to offer dates for negotiations. We’re still waiting for a response that the employer is willing to meet.”

“The library says publicly that they want to bargain, but we have to question their sincerity,” Hunter said. “Even city council passed a motion saying we should meet.

“We’ll be at the Brant Park Inn Monday morning. We hope the employer will join us there, get serious about reaching a fair agreement and let us get back to work for the children, students and adults of Brantford.”

Hunter noted that:
  • library chair Bruce Hodgson told local media on the second day of the strike that they were available to negotiate
  • Hodgson repeated on at least one more occasion that they were willing to bargain
  • city council passed a motion earlier this week calling on both parties to return to the table
  • Hodgson told reporters there have been no overtures from the union.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees represents 180,000 workers in Ontario, most of whom work for municipalities, hospitals, school boards, universities and social service agencies.

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Contact:
Andrew Hunter, CUPE Local 181
519-865-1718 (cell)
Matt Graves, National Representative
416-436-1908 (cell)
Pat Daley, CUPE Communications
416-616-6142 (cell)