Susan McNeil/paNOW Staff

By Nolan Kowal

Approaching strike

Still no agreement between city, CUPE as strike nears

Sep 7, 2023 | 5:25 PM

A potential strike of inside city workers is fast approaching as there is still no agreement between the City of Prince Albert and CUPE Local 882 employees.

The city has offered an 11 per cent pay increase to CUPE workers over the next four years, but the union is asking for 12 per cent.

On Thursday, both sides provided an update on their positions ahead of the potential strike which would begin Sept. 11.

“Unfortunately, the union is ramping up the rhetoric and doubling down on their position that this is a low-ball offer. The truth is it’s the best among Saskatchewan cities and one of the best in the Country,” said Kiley Bear, Director of Corporate Services for the City of Prince Albert.

“We stand firmly behind this offer. Their counter proposal would require an additional 2.4% mill rate increase next year alone. We cannot ask taxpayers to pay that when this offer already makes Prince Albert municipal employees among the best paid in Saskatchewan.”

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The city also accused the union of being misleading in an effort to gain the upper hand.

“Rather than relying on the merits of their position, they are aggressively engaging in tactics that are misleading and inflammatory,” added Bear. “I understand this is designed to put pressure on the City, but it does not change the fact that this is a good offer and we will not ask the taxpayers of Prince Albert to pay more.”

“We hope the CUPE 882 union does not choose to go on strike. Our offer stands and we are prepared to sign the deal today if they are.”

Meanwhile, CUPE insisted that a strike is the last thing that they want.

“We don’t want to walk out on Monday…nobody wants that,” said CUPE National Representative Mira Lewis. “We are still hopeful that we can get back to the table. I know there’s been a lot of rhetoric back and forth, but we’re hopeful that we can get back to the table.”

Lewis added that the city has made it difficult to negotiate.

The city won’t meet with us…we’ve been asking the city to meet and they won’t, they won’t give us any dates,” Lewis said. “We’re still hopeful that it will happen. There are a lot of hours between now and Monday.”

“And we’re hoping that we can put all this aside, sit at the table, and figure it out. That’s what we want to happen, we want to abort the strike. There isn’t a single person that wants to walk out on Monday.”

Inside workers would include city hall administration staff, along with workers at the Alfred Jenkins Field House, EA Rawlinson Centre for the Arts, the Prince Albert Arts Centre, the Frank J Dunn Pool, and concession workers at the Art Hauser Centre.

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nolan.kowal@pattisonmedia.com