Stalled negotiations leave Edmontonians bracing for strike by library, civic workers
Edmontonians should expect impacts to a range of city services as thousands of civic and library workers are set to walk off the job starting Thursday.
The increasingly tense and stalled labour negotiations between Civic Service Union (CSU) 52 and the City of Edmonton were a topic of discussion among elected officials at Tuesday's council meeting, which was held nearly entirely in private. More than 5,000 city employees and Edmonton Public Library (EPL) staff are bracing for a full-on strike for the first time in nearly 50 years after recent strike votes amid unsuccessful negotiations and mediation spanning the last several months.
The EPL plans to temporarily close all branches as the strike begins at 11 a.m. Thursday.
Ward Dene Coun. Aaron Paquette said while city leadership and council are still figuring out details of the likely disruptions, he knows Edmontonians will feel it.
“If there is strike action, people can expect a reduction in services,” he told reporters at city hall during a break in the meeting. “There will be a number of people impacted.
“Let's not beat around the bush — this is a very serious situation that we're in, and we have to take it seriously.”
Despite the impacts, Paquette said that striking “is a legitimate tool of negotiation.”
Emergency services such as the fire department and police aren't impacted. City 911 dispatchers are among those expected to strike, but police officers are expected to fill in during a work stoppage.
Transit, including accessible DATS service, snow clearing, waste collection and construction for Edmonton facilities and infrastructure will continue.
The City of Edmonton launched a webpage on Monday to share updates on service disruptions.
MAYOR MEETS WITH UNION PRESIDENT
Mayor Amarjeet Sohi said city council, who sets mandates but doesn't directly negotiate, is asking “all the right questions” of administration.
No one wants a strike or lockout, he said, and both sides are hoping to find common ground.
“We want to make sure our employees are treated fairly and what they are offered is fair and equitable, at the same time affordable to taxpayers,” he said at city hall. “We need to look at the balance.”
The mayor's remarks during council's lunch break were brief as he rushed to another meeting.
CSU 52 president Lanny Chudyk and Amalgamated Transit Union Local 569 president Steve Bradshaw were seen exiting the mayor's office around 1 p.m.
Chudyk said the meeting was informal and declined to comment.
But in a news release later Tuesday, Chudyk said no progress was made at the meeting.
“The city continues to be unwilling to negotiate. The mayor can keep his head in the sand all he wants and wish the two parties would get together — but that directive comes from him,” he said.
“The mandate on the deal that is being offered by administration comes from the mayor and council. Where is the accountability from these so-called leaders? Edmontonians are counting on them.”
A strong majority of workers rejected the city's “best and final offer” in a direct vote last week that offered raises of 0, 1, 2, 2, and 2.25 per cent each year to 2025.
PROVINCE WATCHING
Alberta Jobs Minister Matt Jones said the province is watching the labour dispute closely.
While he hopes the city and union reach a “mutually beneficial agreement,” the province could intervene if things escalate.
“The province has tools available to it — a disputes inquiry board, public emergency tribunal and back-to-work legislation. But only if the situation escalated to the point that Edmontonians or Albertans were at risk of harm or something catastrophic would I step in,” he told reporters.
But, he said this is part of the collective bargaining process.
“It tends to work. In fact, I believe last year, there were no work stoppages. This one is going a little further, but we respect the collective bargaining process.”