The City and PSAC have been meeting to negotiate a new Collective Agreement with Local X0345 as the contract expired on December 31, 2018. The parties first met in May and again in June but unfortunately ran out of time before negotiations could be concluded. Bargaining resumed on October 7, 2019.
Unfortunately, discussions reached an impasse on October 9, 2019 and the stumbling block is the issue of potentially contracting out a portion of the City’s Solid Waste Facility (SWF) operations. Under the Collective Agreement, the City has the right to contract out work provided there is prior consultation with the Union on potential plans, which took place August 1, 2019.
In response to local, national and international changes with recycling and solid waste management issues, the City is looking at a range of options including potentially contracting out baling garbage. The purpose of this would be to pilot a new approach to garbage baling so that SWF staff can focus on the other duties in their job descriptions that will improve garbage and recycling activities for the community.
The City has reaffirmed with both the Union and City employees that the potential of contracting out garbage baling would not result in any reduction in the workforce or transfer of employees.
Despite the current impasse, the next stage is conciliation and the City remains hopeful that we will be successful in reaching a Collective Agreement.
agreen@vistaradio.ca
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