Brampton residents are being warned to expect some core city services impacted starting Thursday as hundreds of workers are now in a legal strike position.
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.
CUPE Local 831 shared on its website that its workers had opted for strike action.
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.
With workers walking off the job, the City says it will prioritize essential and emergency services however, those who take public transit may face longer than normal wait times. It recommends that Brampton Transit riders make alternate travel plans.
