Municipal employees at the Town of Grand Falls-Windsor unanimously rejected the employer’s final offer last evening and voted 99 per cent in favour of job action. The workers, members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 1349, have been without a contract since December 31, 2020.
Local 1349 President Tammie Greening says the 90 percent turnout for the vote shows how committed the members are to protecting the rights and benefits the employer is trying to gut from the contract. “Some of the concessions the employer is asking for, such as complete control of the medical plan and stripping our rights out of the contract, border on dictatorship,” says Greening.
“The mayor’s comments in the media are causing division in our town,” she adds, “but the members are solidly together and ready to hit the streets if we have to.”
CUPE National Representative Ed White says what the workers really want at the end of the day is a new collective agreement. “We want the town to come back to the table and negotiate an agreement that is fair and respectful to everyone,” he says.
CUPE Local 1349 represents approximately 100 Town employees who work in recreation services, fire dispatch, administration, taxation and finance, road maintenance, water and sewage, municipal enforcement, and engineering and planning.
A rally of support for the workers is planned for 12:15pm today at the Grand Falls-Windsor Farmers Market on High Street.