Important public services that residents rely on could soon be at risk of disruption as workers in the southern Ontario city of Brampton face a looming strike deadline.
The Ontario Ministry of Labour has issued a “No Board” report, initiating a countdown to a potential strike or lockout involving CUPE Local 831 and the City of Brampton. The union, representing 1,200 municipal workers, will be in a legal strike position at 12:01 a.m. on Nov. 7, 2024, the city could also impose a lockout.
“We have been at the bargaining table working towards a fair and comparable deal similar to what other Brampton staff have achieved for our members, for close to 9 months with no success, said Fabio Gazzola, president of CUPE 831. “CUPE 831 members provide essential services to Brampton. Our goal is to reach an agreement that avoids any disruption to these vital services.”
“CUPE 831 members are part of the community and take pride in maintaining Brampton’s public spaces and infrastructure,” Gazzola said. “We are seeking a fair deal that addresses the needs of our members, including protection of precarious and seasonal workers, and keeping our public services public. CUPE 831 is not here to fund non-union staff through cuts to the workforce.”
CUPE 831 remains optimistic that a resolution can be reached before the deadline, avoiding disruption to city services. The city is also cautiously optimistic about reaching a deal with the union, but is warning residents that they should be prepared for disruptions to services including transit.
Brampton City Services Face Potential Disruptions
“The city is actively prioritizing the maintenance of essential and emergency services to support our residents throughout a pending labour disruption,” the city said in a news release Tuesday.
“The city will take all possible steps to maintain scheduled transit service, however these services may be significantly impacted. It is recommended residents make alternate travel plans.”
“While some (services) will continue to operate as usual, others may experience reduced capacity or temporary cancellations,” the city said in an update.
Brampton Transit services could be “significantly impacted” by the strike and the city says riders should “make alternate travel plans.” The city says it is prioritizing maintenance of “essential and emergency services to support our residents throughout a pending labour disruption.”
Union Seeking Fair Deal for Members
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 831 represents approximately 1,200 full-time and temporary municipal workers including transit, animal control, road maintenance and city hall services.
The union says it has been working for close to nine months on a new contract, and while they characterize their demands as “very reasonable” they admit the two sides are “not close.”
“Management always seems to have the money, we’re asking how come there’s no money for the workers,” said CUPE Local 831 president Fabio Gazzola.
“Management makes more money, so why should their economic increase be more, their benefit plans are significantly better than ours, and their vacation is better than ours. They have far more flexibility with regards to scheduling and working from home, emergencies and so forth.”
City negotiators say while the substance of their talks remains confidential, they are committed to negotiating a multi-year agreement with the workers that ensures fiscal responsibility and is comparable to other GTA municipalities.
City Remains Committed to Negotiation
The city said it has been in “active negotiations” with CUPE Local 831 to reach a new contract for city workers and remains committed to negotiating a “fair multi-year agreement” while ensuring fiscal responsibility.
“While details of the offers and negotiation process with CUPE Local 831 remain confidential to respect the bargaining process, the city is committed to an offer comparable to other major GTA municipalities,” the city’s news release said, adding the city remains optimistic about reaching a resolution.
Residents are advised to visit the city’s website for updates on impacted city services.
