Mount Pearl and CUPE are probably as close to an agreement as they have ever been in the two-month-old strike, but at least one significant hurdle remains.
The city says its proposal includes 18 sick days for both existing and new employees, the introduction of two personal leave days within existing special leave allocations, a 9 per cent wage increase over four years, a $1,000 signing bonus for every employee, and the withdrawal of two outstanding proposals.
(Mayor Dave Aker)
Mayor Dave Aker is calling on CUPE to put what he says was their final offer to a vote.
The mayor says they will get there eventually but council is made up of elected officials and they are dealing with public money.
(CUPE Local 2099 President Ken Turner and CUPE President Sherry Hillier.)
CUPE President Sherry Hillier accuses the city of bargaining in bad faith and will not agree with disciplinary measures against 13 union members including local 2099 President Ken Turner.
She wonders if council has an ulterior motive to get rid of the executive members of the bargaining unit because it is such a strong local.
During an intense morning on the picket lines, Turner blasted the city for spreading false information and not telling residents the full story.
Turner said it’s not true that their members are not getting all the details on the proposals. The several dozen on the picket lines this morning agreed emphatically with their union president before tossing the proposal into the fire barrels in protest of the city’s actions.
— Gerri Lynn Mackey (@GerriLynnMackey) August 26, 2022
Video from earlier, at the onset of the standoff that unfolded between @Mount_Pearl and CUPE local 2099 members. Here we see members burning their contracts in dissatisfaction. @VOCMNEWS pic.twitter.com/GRTWVR7g6f
— Gerri Lynn Mackey (@GerriLynnMackey) August 26, 2022
