The Region of Waterloo is considering legal action against CUPE Local 1656 as the two remain at odds over contract negotiations.
“Information provided by the CUPE 1656 executive about the region’s water treatment facility is inaccurate and misleading to residents. The Region of Waterloo is considering legal action against CUPE’s repeated attempts to needlessly mislead residents with unfounded claims of unsafe operating procedures,” the region said, in part, in a statement Friday.
The statement was in response to the union’s media release on Thursday, claiming a chlorine gas leak at a water treatment plant was putting thousands of residents at risk.
“Last week, a chlorine gas leak occurred at the Mannheim Water Treatment Facility while inexperienced workers were changing tanks at the facility due to the ongoing CUPE 1656 strike. Had the leak not been fixed, is possible that residents in the area could have been at risk of inhaling the toxic gas, which comes with serious health risks,” the release from CUPE read.
“We are extremely thankful that this incident was safely resolved, but it’s an example of just how far Karen Redman and the Region of Waterloo Council are willing to go in order to try and force us into accepting a deal that is unfair and half of what they originally offered us during negotiations,” CUPE 1656 President Phil Dominas said.
The region refuted the claim the public was ever at risk.
“Last week, a small leak due to a manufacturer flaw was detected in a chlorine cylinder that is not connected to the water system. Trained Water Operations staff completed a perfect containment response following strict safety protocols. At no time was the public at risk,” a regional representative wrote.
Ongoing negotiations
The war of words comes after union members went on strike on March 3 at 12:01 a.m.
The union represents 240 workers in road maintenance, landfill services, airport support, clean water treatment and emergency vehicle repair.
When the union first went on strike, they accused the region of negotiating in bad faith.
“The employer at one point offered us a deal that we thought, ‘This might be great for our membership.’ Before we had a chance to bring it back, less than eight hours later, they sent us an email - not even a phone call - to say, ‘You know what, that offer is off the table.’ They came back with less than half of that offer,” CUPE 1656 Chief Steward Mike Hepditch said at the time.
The region said it made a ‘final offer’ to the union on Thursday.
“The offer includes a salary increase of almost 12 per cent to all positions over a three-year period, with a $1.00 per hour wage adjustment, plus a 3.5 per cent increase, representing an average of 5 per cent increase in the first year,” the region explained, adding wage increases would be retroactive to Jan. 1, 2025.
The region also said the offer included a commitment to “undertake a market review for the skilled trades classifications as well as several other future enhancements, including banked overtime, shift premiums, meal allowance and stand-by rates.”
The union responded to the offer in an open letter on Friday.
“The reason CUPE Local 1656, who are 240 outside workers and citizens of the region, continue to be on strike is not because of greed. It’s about both parties reaching a mutual understanding and respectful relationship,” the letter said. “This strike isn’t about what we believe we deserve in terms of a wage increase. It’s about principle. If the union accepts any less than what the region had previously offered before they took that offer away, it would set a precedent for future bargaining rounds.”
The union accused the region of “unfair, unethical and unprofessional” bargaining.
“We are human beings and we are currently without our salaries or income. We have bills, food and other expenses to pay for, and we are fighting for our jobs because we believe in what we do. We are taking a stand. We know that this is our choice, but we have no other option. We want to be at work and we would rather be at work. This fight is about the working class, the people who don’t have a voice and standing up for what is right against big employers like the Region of Waterloo that have operated and managed carelessly and without regard for their workers,” the letter continued, before thanking the public for their patience and support.
