The Town of Whitby yesterday announced that some 300 full-time staff may go on strike as of October 14 following no agreement with their representative union.
Labour negotiations have been ongoing between the Town of Whitby and CUPE Local 53 Full-time since March 2023,” said a town statement.
“After 13 days of collective bargaining, including four days with a provincially appointed conciliation officer, the parties are in a legal strike or lockout position as of 12:01 am on October 14, 2023,” it said.
It said most recently, the town modified its proposal to ensure there is minimal change for current employees and provide needed flexibility required to respond to changing community needs in the future.
“We are committed to achieving a fair and reasonable agreement that balances the needs of our workforce and Whitby residents,” said Matt Gaskell, Chief Administrative Officer (CAO). “Unfortunately, earlier today (October 3), CUPE Local 53 Full-time rejected our latest offer on the table, which includes wage increases and benefit improvements.
“We continue to seek changes to the existing limitations regarding temporary positions and employees, changes to non-standard hours of work for a limited number of staff, and improved flexibility in the scheduling of staff (with consultation and notice) to modernize and better support the town’s program and service delivery. We remain hopeful that an agreement can be reached that will avoid a work stoppage and its impact on residents,” the CAO said.
Services that may be impacted
In the event of a labour disruption, the delivery of Whitby’s public services and programs may face interruption. In anticipation of a possible disruption, the town has started contingency planning to limit service disruptions as best it can. Critical services will continue in a modified way. Non-critical services, like recreation programs and special events, will be impacted. Examples of services that the town expects to be impacted include:
- Animal Services
- Building Permits
- Business Licensing
- By-Law Enforcement
- Council and Committee Meetings
- Garbage Collection
- Marriage License and Civil Marriage Ceremonies
- Parks and Recreation Programming
- Road, Sidewalk and Traffic Operations
- Special Events
In the event of a labour disruption, the Town of Whitby is committed to providing residents with timely updates. Information will be shared through the town’s social media accounts on Facebook and Twitter, and a dedicated webpage at whitby.ca/2023labourdisruption. Residents will also have the option of subscribing to receive emailed updates directly to their inbox at whitby.ca/subscribe, the statement said.
Quick Facts
- CUPE Local 53 Full-time and Whitby began bargaining in March 2023.
- On September 19, the negotiations had reached an impasse and as a result, the town asked the Conciliation Officer for the “No-Board” report. This report was received on September 27. A No-Board is the official notice from the Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development which starts the clock towards a strike or lockout date.
- Approximately 300 full-time staff are represented by CUPE Local 53 Full-time.
[File image courtesy Whitby]
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