(File Photo/paNOW Staff)

By Jaryn Vecchio

Job Action

P.A. inside city workers claim no desire to go on strike, want to get back to negotiating table

Aug 11, 2023 | 1:39 PM

Inside workers with the City of Prince Albert are hoping to get back to the negotiating table over a new contract.

They officially started job action on Thursday through work-to-rule, which is basically them avoiding going above and beyond their basic duties, and refusing to do tasks like training.

Cara Stelmaschuk, Vice-President of CUPE 882, told paNOW they have no desire to go on strike.

“Our preference is to get back to the table, that’s when this can all end,” she said.

Rumours have been circulating that the union was requesting a 12 per cent raise but has now increased that ask to 30 per cent.

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Stelmaschuk noted the 30 per cent ask is what they went into negotiations with.

“You go in asking for probably more than you think you’re going to get, and the table is open to negotiations.”

As for the 12 per cent raise, this is what the union asked for after getting their one and only offer from the City. Stelmaschuk explained since this offer was not considered, they decided that they should just go back to the only offer they had brought to the table.

“There really wasn’t a negotiation, so it’s hard to call that a counteroffer or anything like that.”

The City’s offer is an 11 per cent increase over four years. They claim they won’t go any higher as even a one per cent increase added with a projected raise for outside workers would cost them $1.15 million and lead to a tax increase. The City also announced on Thursday there was a $3.4 million shortfall in 2022 as they over-budgeted and overestimated possible revenue.

“It kind of feels like staff wasn’t considered when they were budgeting,” said Stelmaschuk. “It feels like we’re gonna have to shoulder the expense from the deficit which doesn’t seem very fair.”

Meanwhile, the union has no date set for a possible strike.

Stelmaschuk said there are other paths they can take before walking off the job, but she didn’t want to get into them at this point.

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Jaryn.Vecchio@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @princealbertnow