Striking blood services workers say no new talks planned

Monday marked day 49 of the strike by Canadian Blood Services employees in Charlottetown and there are still no talks in sight.

The workers say they remain determined to see things through and have been getting support from unions and labour groups across the country.

The 11 part-time workers say the main issue in the labour dispute is a need for guaranteed hours.

The president of the local union who is also one of the workers said while workers believe in what they are doing, it's discouraging that no talks are planned.
 
"We're still in it for the long haul," said Tanya Herrell.

"We very strongly believe in what we are fighting for. It's very discouraging. I mean we are very dedicated workers. You know we love our jobs. Some of us have been here for, you know, 15 plus years and it just seems like Canadian Blood Services doesn't value us at all, is you know the message that they're sending to us.

"We are not getting strike pay per say. We are getting gas and food vouchers and we can also get interest free loans for our mortgages and our bills," said Herrell.

Herrell noted 50 representatives of the CCU or the Confederation of Canadian Unions just held an information picket at a blood centre in British Columbia on their behalf.

She said that kind of emotional support is really helpful.

The workers have been without a contract since March 2011.