As the battle rages on between Town of Whitby, Ont., workers and their employer, the show must go on while more than 300 full-time staff are on strike.
And with two temporary waste drop-off points now open, Whitby’s CAO, Matt Gaskell, says it’s all hands on deck to pitch in.
“We’ve got management from all across the organization,” says Gaskell, who is part of the negotiations with CUPE Local 53.
“There’s the town clerk, an engineer and myself. I’m multi-tasking, I’m taking calls and meetings on my earbuds while I’m throwing garbage bags,” he told Global News while helping collect garbage at the Iroquois Park Sports Centre.
Services impacted by the strike include bylaw enforcement, animal control, permit services and sanitation.
It’s a sight you wouldn’t normally see — several dumpsters and garbage in the recreation centre parking lot. But with the strike hitting Day 7, the town has opened up both Iroquois Park and the McKinney Centre to help alleviate the issue of no sanitation pickup.
On the picket lines at town hall, staff say their main issue is around scheduling.
The town says current staff would be grandfathered in if they stay in their position, but new staff would be affected.
That’s a concern for staff like Jessica Webb, a building permit clerk with the town.
“I probably wouldn’t bother transferring into another role,” she says. “That really hinders my want for growth in my career.
“If I’m at risk of working evenings, weekend or different shifts, that’s not good for me or my children.”
In the most recent proposal, the town has put forward a deal that would see workers receive a 9.5 per cent raise over three years, along with significant benefits. However, the CAO says it wants to reserve the right to change a schedule — but only if absolutely needed. At this time Gaskell says CUPE can veto any request it makes to adjust a member’s work schedule, making it impossible to change services.
He says the new deal will allow them to have staff in place to help residents when they need them, but at the same time they will work with their employees to ensure everything works on their side as well.
“They’re going to be able to know what their schedule is a year ahead going forward,” says Gaskell. “It would be involving implementing new services, then we’ve committed to consultation with the union and the affected employees.”
On top of that, Gaskell says staff would be given ample notice and will work with them to figure out each individual situation.
“Giving them one month’s notice and discussing with them if that’s something that can’t be accommodated, then we would enable them to swap with another employee.”
But employees say it’s a slippery slope if they concede to the change, and it’s giving up their ability to plan their lives.
“It’s not work-life balance, it’s not. Even with the four weeks’ notice and whatever they want to provide.
It’s not work-life balance,” Webb says.
Talks have broken down for now. Chief steward of the local chapter Greg French says at this time the town says it won’t come back unless the union agrees to the concessions, but French says they aren’t coming back until that item is gone.
“If the concessions are removed off the table, I’m sure we can find a path to a fair and equitable deal.”
Meantime, Whitby’s mayor has weighed in on the job action.
“I encourage both sides to get back to the bargaining table and work constructively towards an agreement that balances the needs of workers, with the Town’s responsibilities to our taxpayers,” Mayor Elizabeth Roy says in a statement.
“I’m calling on both sides to recognize that no concession bargaining is not realistic as we strive to meet the needs of our rapidly growing community.”
The town also announced this week that council and committee meetings are also being cancelled. Permits for town facility rentals have also been put on hold until a resolution can be found and workers brought back.
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