WORKERS RALLY AS STRIKE DEADLINE LOOMS
Members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees held a car rally Monday in support of paramedics and inside workers at the Region of Waterloo. More than 1,200 employees at the Region of Waterloo, including paramedics and workers in public health, daycare and regional libraries, will be in a legal strike position on Saturday. Being in a legal strike position doesn’t mean a strike is inevitable since both sides can continue to try to reach a deal, before and after the legal strike date. The workers, represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees locals 5191 and 1883, include 300 paramedics and logistics staff, and more than 900 inside workers in public health, child care, social services, finance, IT, housing, administration, museums, libraries, bylaw enforcement, engineering, airport, landfill and transportation. The union says the region must do more to address work-life balance, heavy workloads, job security and stress.