Workers at the Blue Water Bridge in Point Edward are set to go on strike.
The 47 workers are represented by The Public Service Alliance of Canada. On Thursday, November 17th, 2016, the union served the employer, the Federal Bridge Corporation, with the legally required 72-hour notice that its members are taking strike action.
PSAC and the employer met for one day of bargaining on Saturday, November 19th in a last attempt to reach an agreement. The major points of contention are reductions in benefits and what the union calls “major concessions that would have set workers back years."
Negotiations started in March of this year and continued througout the summer and fall with the assistance of a conciliator and a mediator. The employer says the union has contravened its own request to delay the 72‐hour notice.
The workers are in a legal strike position as of 6:00 a.m., November 21st, 2016. Union leaders are expressing regret over the possibility that commuters and commercial traffic will face delays at the border near Sarnia. Sharon DeSousa, PSAC Ontario Regional Executive Vice-President said, “We had no choice but to take action.” The last collective agreement expired on November 7th, 2014.
The strike involves cleaners, toll collectors, maintenance and currency exchange workers. A representative from the Federal Bridge Corporation tells CTV news that the Blue Water Bridge will remain open if the strike goes ahead, and that a contingency plan is in place to keep traffic moving.
