CUPE 882 members rally outside of Prince Albert City Hall on August 28. The union is working to rule and discussing full job action. (Susan McNeil/paNOW)

By Susan McNeil

City Hall job action

City workers close in on full strike action

Aug 29, 2023 | 5:10 PM

The decision has not yet been made but City of Prince Albert inside workers are starting to talk about a full strike.

Yesterday, CUPE Local 882 had a rally at city hall attended by national president Mark Hancock.

“None of you want to take the action that we may have to take in a couple days or a couple weeks. You don’t want to be doing the work to rule stuff,” said Hancock at the rally.

The union has rejected the last offer from the city – which has not changed since the start of negotiations at an 11 per cent increase over the next four years – and repeated requests to get back to the bargaining table.

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The City asked the Saskatchewan Labour Relations Board to conduct a vote on the city’s last offer, with ballots received by Aug. 24 and counted on Aug. 29.

“The results are clear: our members will not settle for the city’s lowball offer. We demand that the city come back to the table prepared to negotiate a fair deal,” said Cara Stelmaschuk, vice-president of the Local.

At the next meeting, the ante will be raised from the work to rule actions that included refusing to train others and dressing down by ignoring dress codes, conventions and standards.

“The union will be meeting to discuss next steps, but a full withdrawal of services will be in the cards if the city does not provide bargaining dates immediately,” said Stelmaschuk.

There has not been a strike of municipal workers in Prince Albert’s history. Currently, the two parties are at an impasse with the closest numbers being an offer of 11 per cent and the union holding out for 12 per cent.

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com