Close to 600 civilian employees at military bases in Ontario and Quebec walked off the job Monday after negotiations with their employer dropped off. The strike affects workers at five military bases, including Kingston, Petawawa, Valcartier, Montreal St-Jean and Bagotville, along with other employees whose jobs are in Ottawa.
According to the Union of National Defence Employees, the workers are pushing for wages that meet the cost of living. Many of the employees on the picket lines work in fields like food service, recreation, financial planning and disability insurance.
According to the union, many of its employees need to work second jobs because the salaries they currently receive can’t keep up with the cost of living, the pressures of inflation, and above all, the real costs of caring for their families.
The strike in Kingston will take place at CFB Kingston, RMC, Fort Henry Drive, and Highway 2 until 1:30 p.m. each day