CUPE LOCAL 500/CITY OF WINNIPEG BARGAINING UPDATE #14 - A message from CUPE Local 500 President Gord Delbridge:
June 07, 2017 at 5:45 PM
Today, CUPE Local 500 members from across City departments authorized their bargaining committee to initiate strike action, if necessary, to get a fair and reasonable settlement. Members voted 85% in favour of strike mandate.
The CUPE Local 500 bargaining committee takes this direction from our members seriously, and we are committed to bringing this message back to the City’s bargaining team with the hopes that they will be able to table a more acceptable package.
CUPE Local 500 members work tirelessly every single day to provide services to the citizens of Winnipeg. We are proud of the work we do, and we believe the citizens of Winnipeg support fairness for their municipal workforce.
Winnipeggers also expect their municipal leadership to treat city workers with respect.
Today’s strike mandate does not necessarily mean we are going on strike.
Today’s strike mandate means that municipal workers did not find the City’s proposals acceptable.
We hope to return to the negotiating table with the City to discuss our concerns, and to offer our suggestions on what will move us closer to a fair deal for everyone.
CUPE Local 500 negotiates with the best interest of the citizens of Winnipeg, the workers who provide municipal services, and with the services themselves in mind.
We are citizens, taxpayers, and users of city services, and we hope to reach a deal that will improve working conditions for Winnipeg’s municipal workforce.
New bargaining dates will be set up in the coming days.
In conclusion, I know this has been a difficult time for all of you and we appreciate your solidarity and support. We hope to have more information to you shortly. Please continue to watch for more updates.
In solidarity,
Gord Delbridge
CUPE Local 500 President
KB/ng cope342
