Click here to sign up for our free daily newsletter.
Union members walk along Central Avenue. (Nigel Maxwell/paNOW Staff)
Strike Over

P.A. inside workers happy to be back at work, aim to move past strike

Dec 12, 2023 | 3:00 PM

Inside workers for the City of Prince Albert are trying to look ahead now that they’re officially done striking.

P.A.’s council officially ratified the agreement between the two sides on Monday, ending the strike exactly three months after it started. The workers approved the deal 11 days earlier.

“We’re pleased we’re able to get into the buildings we work at, the jobs we care about,” said Cara Stelmaschuk, the vice-president of CUPE 882.

The strike had its fair share of tension. Both sides were critical of the other with claims of abuse, lack of motivation to end the strike, and illegal picketing as some of the issues brought up publicly.

Despite this, Stelmaschuk considers the issues concluded.

“The communications we’ve received are positive and everyone is focused on moving forward from here,” she said.

This was echoed by Mayor Greg Dionne who told paNOW he doesn’t think there will be any need for relationship building between the two sides. However, he doesn’t think the same can be said for the union and the public.

“That last stunt they did (last week) with the Little Mermaid [performance] making the kids, the seniors, people in wheelchairs walk through the rain and the snow to get to the door… that was uncalled for,” he said.

Several angry parents called paNOW including one father who said it was “inhumane” for picketers to be forcing his special needs son to cross a slippery street to get to the building. Dionne said he believes it will take some time before the general public forgets.

When asked if the union had any regrets about what they did or didn’t do during the strike, Stelmaschuk said it’s tough as the strike just ended. She added once again staff are just happy it’s over and they can once again do the jobs they’re paid to do.

“It’s good to be getting back into routines we’re familiar with,” she said.

­__

Jaryn.Vecchio@pattisonmedia.com

X: @princealbertnow