Tag Archives: bonfield township strike

No talks scheduled in CUPE month-long strike in Bonfield

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Wednesday, August, 28, 2013   http://www.northbaynipissing.com

BonfieldStrike

BONFIELD – Bonfield council and the union appear to be digging in for what could be a drawn out strike with the two sides not sitting down for negotiations since June of this year and at press time no new talks scheduled.

The walkout began on Aug. 1 after the union voted down a final offer from council in July.

Business in the township has ground to a halt since the strike began with all 16 employees – including the clerk, chief building official and public works supervisor – walking off the job. In most municipalities that have unionized these positions are considered management and left outside the bargaining unit.

The lack of any management staff has created challenges for the council, which hasn’t met since the strike began on Aug. 1. The Municipal Act requires they have a designated recording secretary in the form of a clerk or deputy clerk. Council has been able to figure out how to appoint a new person to the deputy clerk position and even attempted to meet on Aug. 15, but union protestors blocked the entrances to the municipal office.

At issue is not wages but conditions in the contract with more than 40 outstanding issues still to be resolved between the two sides. Items identified include everything from council’s ability to contract out work to the winter schedule for the roads crew to when workers get paid.

Mayor Randy McLaren says he is prepared to sit down and talk with the union as soon as he hears they are willing to make concessions.

“If they have something new that they want to talk about they are having a very difficult time expressing it,” said McLaren. “All they want to talk about is getting back to the table generally.”

The union representatives have been applying pressure for council to meet, sending out flyers in the mail and issuing press releases calling for the return to the bargaining table.

Services in the municipality have all but stopped with the exception of garbage disposal which council is providing itself with the assistance of a security company to keep the peace at the landfill site.

All of Bonfield’s bills, including some payroll are on hold. These are mostly employees for boards of council such as the library.

“They have all communicated with us that they will share the pain, if you will, and wait for this to get resolved. If it goes on for longer we do have the ability to pay them or any other bills at the bank,” said McLaren.

On the union side CUPE negotiator Steve Boyle says he is frustrated that there are no new talks scheduled at this point but his membership isn’t prepared to bow to council’s demands.

“The employer wants major concessions, which we don’t want… They want to be able to contract out the work,” said Boyle.

However, if the strike carries on much longer that is exactly what will happen. McLaren has been in touch with Municipal Affairs and Housing on a regular basis and has received advice about how to proceed.

“I have the authority under the Municipal Act to make unilateral decisions. Its not the most appropriate way of doing things but it is legal,” said McLaren.

Story by Rob Learn        rlearn@metrolandnorthmedia.com

CUPE urges councillors to call for new talks after Bonfield Mayor refuses to return to bargaining table to end strike

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Bonfield, Ont. – CUPE, the union representing 16 striking Bonfield municipal workers, has been informed by the provincial mediator that the lawyer who represents the Mayor has refused to return to the bargaining table to help end the strike, even though the Mayor of Bonfield himself told striking workers to call the Township’s lawyer to resume bargaining, as the strike enters its fourth week.

“When pushed by the residents and workers to return to bargaining to end the strike, the Mayor told us to call his lawyer, and then when the mediator contacted the lawyer, the hired consultant flatly refused to return to the table unless we agree to their terms,” said Steve Boyle.

“It begs the question, who’s running Bonfield? The Mayor seems more interested in running away from scheduled meetings and putting out misinformation, instead of moving to restore public services.” CUPE is urging other councillors to step up and get involved to resolve this dispute and restore public services.

“The Mayor not only pushed their workers to strike, cancelling several public meetings including the council meeting that was scheduled for August 27, he is now refusing, through his lawyer, to find ways to end the strike,” continued Boyle.

“A strike will not end on its own and it can only end at the bargaining table with both sides prepared to sit down to negotiate and work out a deal that’s fair. We’ve been prepared to bargain from the beginning, but the Mayor cancelled bargaining dates and tried to impose his own terms and conditions – now we’re still waiting for the Mayor and council to do their part to end this strike.”

“We are thankful for the support we continue to receive from Bonfield residents – we know their patience has been tested by the Mayor,” said Boyle.

“The community is now organizing a spaghetti dinner fundraiser to support the strikers and our members are buoyed by the community’s help to ensure they get a fair deal. This speaks volumes about the community’s commitment to fairness for their own workers. We are calling on the councillors, who represent the residents, to follow their lead and do what it takes to restore public services and treat workers fairly.”

For further information, please contact:
Steve Boyle, CUPE National Representative, 705-662-5975
James Chai, CUPE Communications, 905-739-3999

Two orders issued at Bonfield landfill

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By GORD YOUNG, The Nugget    Tuesday, August 20, 2013

The Ministry of Labour issued two orders last week regarding the operation of the Bonfield landfill site, including one requiring workers to be properly trained.

Ministry spokesman Matt Blajer confirmed Tuesday that the orders were issued following a site visit under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

Blajer said the municipality was also ordered to ensure workers are outfitted with the proper personal equipment. But he said the ministry did not issue any stop-work orders.

Bonfield council members had been operating the landfill while the community’s 16 municipal employees are on strike. But members said last week they would not be opening the site Saturday due to escalating strife at the picket line.

Mayor Randy McLaren said Tuesday that the decision to close the landfill due to concerns for the safety and security of council members was made before the ministry orders were issued.

“It was more coincidental than anything,” he said, noting council members agreed to close the landfill after protesting Thursday forced the cancellation of meeting at the parish hall.

Deputy Mayor Tamela Price-Fry and Coun. Jane Lagassie say they were “held hostage” inside the parish hall while the mayor was being questioned by striking workers and ratepayers in the parking lot.

Price-Fry said she was inside the building with her husband, Lagassie and a person brought in to act as clerk for the meeting, but was unable to leave for about an hour because the exits were blocked.

Steve Boyle, a national representative for the Canadian Union of Public Employees, which represents the striking workers, responded, saying he was not aware of any CUPE members blocking the exits. He said union members were busy speaking to the mayor outside the parish hall. He also noted that police were on the scene and that the gathering dispersed peacefully.

On Monday, the union issued a release suggesting the closure of landfill is creating a bear problem.

“Closing the landfill, with no outlet for the community’s waste to be stored safely will not only prolong this unnecessary strike, but it is also already attracting bears to our community, and this is definitely not safe for the residents,” said Boyle, in the release.

He said CUPE members know what it takes to keep the landfill operating safely and want to resolve the strike.

McLaren said keeping the landfill site closed long-term is not an option. And he said arrangements will likely be made for residents to dispose of their garbage Saturday.

He one option is to ensure adequate security to allow council members to resume operating the site. He said members will be trained to use fire extinguishers and bear spray – as per the ministry order.

McLaren said the municipality can also rent a large bin to be placed in a central location that can later be taken to the landfill.

The municipality’s 16 workers have been off the job since Aug. 1, affecting services such as road maintenance, tax payments, building permits, inspections, planning services and general inquiries. CUPE says key issues are the threat of contracting out and a list of concessions demanded from the municipality including attacks on seniority, training, employment security, scheduling, vacations, sick leave and benefits. McLaren has said there are some 40 outstanding issues and the municipality is seeking changes to the existing collective agreement, including reducing the number of bankable sick days to which employees are entitled, increasing the length of service required for additional vacation entitlement and extending the probationary period for new hires.

He has also acknowledged the municipality has proposed language that would allow it to contract hire. But McLaren has said there is no intention of contracting out core services.

gord.young@sunmedia.ca

Bonfield mayor’s decision to close landfill will not end strike

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http://cupe.ca

Aug 19, 2013

Instead of closing Bonfield’s landfill, the mayor should be back at the bargaining table to resolve a strike that he caused. Sixteen Bonfield municipal workers have been on strike since August 1.

“Closing the landfill, with no outlet for the community’s waste to be stored safely, will not only prolong this unnecessary strike, but it is also already attracting bears to our community, and this is definitely not safe for the residents,” said Steve Boyle, CUPE National Representative. “Our members know what it takes to keep the landfill operating safely for our residents, and we want to resolve this strike so we can serve the community, but we need a willing employer to resolve this strike. We also understand the mayor has left town and gone to Ottawa for a conference while the community is without public services when he should be right here trying to find ways to end this strike.” 

“Citing safety concerns for the mayor and council as the reason for closing the landfill is a bit of a stretch,” said Boyle. “As elected leaders of this community, they should be more worried about the safety of the community from bears looking for garbage than being concerned about their own ‘safety’ from residents unhappy about the mayor’s actions that are prolonging the strike.” 

“If they had not cancelled public meetings and caused this unnecessary strike, they would not be in this situation,” continued Boyle. “The mayor and council must face the public and should be held accountable for their actions.” 

Boyle also noted that the mayor decided to close the landfill after a safety inspection from the Ministry of Labour’s health and safety officers. The workers have been on strike for a fair contract since August 1. In addition to pushing for concessions, including plans to contract out public services, the mayor threatened to impose new terms and conditions forcing the workers into a defensive strike. 

For further information, please contact:

Steve Boyle, CUPE National Representative, 705-662-5975
James Chai, CUPE Communications, 905-739-3999

Solidarity served at BBQ rally hosted by CUPE leaders

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Aug 14, 2013    http://cupe.ca

The Bonfield Township Council meeting was cancelled by the mayor and the forecasted rain never came, but CUPE leaders led by Charles Fleury, CUPE national secretary-treasurer, Candace Rennick, CUPE Ontario secretary-treasurer and Henri Giroux, president of North Bay CUPE District Council along with CUPE members and Bonfield residents, did come out on Tuesday afternoon to show support for the striking CUPE 4616-2 members at a solidarity BBQ.

“You have the support of over 600,000 CUPE members across Canada,” said Charles Fleury, CUPE National Secretary-Treasurer, bringing greetings and support for the 16 municipal workers on strike in Bonfield. “CUPE supports your fight against concessions and we are with you every step of the way.”

Echoing brother Fleury’s remarks, Candace Rennick, CUPE Ontario secretary treasurer said: “We will stand by you and provide you with all the resources you need to win this fight.” Henri Giroux, who helped organize the event, also thanked the community for their continued support for the striking workers.

More than 150 people, from Bonfield residents to CUPE members from across the province, to local union members, brought solidarity messages and let the strikers know that they have the full support of their Ontario brothers and sisters.

Garth Pigeau, President of CUPE 4616-2 was encouraged by the support shown to his striking members and said, “Solidarity, this is what the union is all about.”

The workers have been on strike since August 1, 2013.