Thousands of Edmonton city workers prepare to join the picket line today

March 14, 2024 Canuck

Thousands of city workers are poised to strike in Edmonton this morning — a labour stoppage that will trigger service shutdowns, shutter municipal buildings, and disrupt the daily business of city hall.

More than 5,000 front-line, administrative and clerical workers are expected to walk off the job at 11 a.m. Thursday. Around 680 staff from Edmonton’s public libraries are expected to join them on the picket line.

Negotiations between the city and Civic Service Union 52 broke down weeks ago. And with talks at an impasse over wages, it’s unclear how long the work stoppage will last.

The latest details on service disruptions are available here on the city’s website.

‘Difficult days ahead’

In a news conference Wednesday, city manager Andre Corbould cautioned that Edmontonians should be prepared for a prolonged work stoppage and the strain it will place on city operations.

The strike will lead to delays and service shutdowns but with the budget constraints faced by the city, administration is not prepared to budge on its latest offer, Corbould said.

“We are disappointed to have reached this point and we know how hard the coming weeks will be on our employees and Edmontonians.

“I want to be clear because we know there will be some difficult days ahead. We do value our employees and the important work they do and we also respect their legal right to strike.”

The workers involved in the labour dispute serve in more than 250 different positions in dozens of departments within the city’s purview. They include 911 dispatchers, 311 operators, front desk managers, city clerks as well as communications and IT staff.

The most critical city services, including emergency communications, will be kept running. But many city departments, community facilities and Edmonton landmarks were shut down Thursday in anticipation of the strike.

Libraries and city attractions are closed. Recreation centres, arenas and pools will only be open to people with pre-existing bookings.

All drop-in and registered programs at parks, attractions, arts, and heritage facilities have been cancelled.

At city hall, public hearings will continue but council meetings will only be held for items deemed critical to ongoing operations.

The city’s 311 complaint service is limited to urgent public safety and bylaw matters only while 911 dispatch will be staffed by officers pulled in from other police departments.

Police information checks, local police records checks, fingerprinting and alarm permit services are also cancelled as front counters at detachments across the city close.

Wages have been at the centre of the labour dispute, and both sides remain firmly entrenched.

The union has repeatedly rejected the city’s latest offer of a 7.25 per cent wage increase over five years.

Meanwhile, administration officials have maintained that their latest proposal, one they have described as their best and final offer, is fair and equitable.

In a joint statement Tuesday, council members threw their support behind administration, suggesting that accepting the union demands would strain the budget and trigger steep tax hikes.

Workers involved in the dispute have not had a wage increase since 2018 and have been without a contract since 2020.

Union president Lanny Chudyk met with Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi Tuesday but said no progress was made.

The city remains unwilling to negotiate, Chudyk said.

“We sent an official request to return to the table Monday morning and still haven’t received a word from their negotiating team,” he said in a statement Wednesday.

“It is impossible to negotiate with a party that has not come to the bargaining table since December 2023.”

The strike is a last resort but a necessary one, Chudyk said.

“We do not want this strike to happen. What we want is a fair and equitable deal for CSU 52 members instead we will see a strike that will see far reaching impacts for Edmontonians.”

The last strike by the Civic Service Union was in 1976.

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