Regional workers picket ahead of potential strike

The union representing Waterloo region's outside workers held an information picket in front of the region's administration headquarters ahead of a council meeting on Wednesday night. 

The union will be in a legal strike position as of Monday. If the strike moves ahead, regional services like road maintenance, airport services and landfill services will be disrupted. 

CUPE Local 1656 president Phil Dominas says the picket before regional council's Wednesday night meeting was to "make the public aware that this is an issue and put pressure on the employer."

The union says it's calling for higher wages to keep up with the rising cost of living.

The Region of Waterloo says it is still negotiating with the union.

"We continue to work closely with CUPE and are committed to reaching an agreement that is competitive for workers and affordable for residents," the region said in a release.

Dominas says it's the union's position that the region backtracked on proposed wage increases made during negotiations. 

"They proposed a wage to us and we thought we were really close to having the deal," he said. "Just to find out that everything they had tabled was either a lie or they just didn't have the money in the first place."

Dominas added a strike is likely if the region does not keep the proposed wage increases in place.

"They need to come back to the negotiating table now and honour the commitments they originally made," he said, adding "we don't want to go on strike, but at this point, the region is giving us no other option."

CBC Kitchener-Waterloo contacted the Region of Waterloo for comment. The region said it would not comment on the potential strike while negotiations are still ongoing. 

Impact of potential strike

The last collective agreement between the union and the region ended on Dec. 31, 2024. If the strike goes forward, the region's landfill and recycling centres in Cambridge and Waterloo will be closed to the public. 

Mike Hepditch, an airport operations specialist at the Region of Waterloo International Airport, was part of the information picket and says services at the airport would be severely impacted if the union goes on strike.

 "If there's any inclement weather that covers the runways up, plows won't be able to get out there, so aircraft won't be able to land, or it will be unsafe for them to land," he said.

Hepditch added many emergency services fly in and out of the airport.

"Without us there to have those emergency services on standby, some of these flights may not be able to depart," he said. 

Residents are advised to visit the region's website and social media pages for updates in the event of a strike.