City of Calgary workers overwhelmingly support strike action

Thousands of Calgary workers voted in favor of strike action after negotiations between the union, CUPE 38 and the city resulted in the city rejecting three proposals. The union represents “inside workers” such as developers, bylaws, engineers, water treatment workers, administrative workers, utility and construction technicians, social workers and city planners, as well as about 900 civilian personnel from the Calgary Police Service. Key concerns for union members include wages not keeping pace with inflation and lack of flexibility to work from home.

In a ballot held between 15 and 16 May, 4,200 out of 5,600 CUPE 38 members voted 89% to strike. CUPE 38 President D'Arcy Lanovaz said members are asking for at least two days of work from home, and additional work days from home must be approved at the supervisory level, not senior management. . Negotiations between the union and the city have been ongoing since November, and mediation was held in March. Despite these efforts, three proposals were rejected and no agreement or resolution was reached after the last meeting with the mediator.

If an agreement is still not reached while working to a rule where union members can refuse overtime and additional duties, the next step will be rolling strikes. Lanovaz noted that there is no set timeline for action from work to regulation, and that the situation is constantly evolving. The City of Calgary was contacted for comment, but no response was received at the time of reporting. Both sides need to continue discussions to avoid further escalation of labor disputes and disruptions in city services.

The potential strike by City of Calgary workers represented by CUPE 38 highlights the difficulties unions face in negotiating fair wages and working conditions for their members. The rejection of the three proposals received from the city shows a significant gap between the expectations of the union members and the proposals presented by the municipality. The desire for greater flexibility in work patterns, such as the ability to work from home, reflects the changing nature of work and changing attitudes toward remote work in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As negotiations enter a critical phase, both sides must find common ground to avoid a potentially disruptive strike that could affect critical city services. The possibility of rolling strikes adds to the uncertainty surrounding the situation, with no clear timeline as to when such action will occur. The unionization of civilian personnel of the Calgary Police Service further demonstrates the wide-ranging impact the strike will have on various aspects of municipal service. The need for continued dialogue and compromise between the union and the city will be critical to reaching a resolution that addresses the concerns of CUPE 38 members while ensuring the continued operation of city services.