Region of Waterloo and union disagree on whether negotiations have resumed as strike enters 2nd week

CBC News

· Posted: Mar 10, 2025 5:13 PM EDT | Last Updated: 9 hours ago

As the onslaught by outdoor workers enters week two, neither the Region of Waterloo nor the national tin hold connected whether negotiations person resumed. 

On Friday, aft 5 days of stalled negotiations, the Region of Waterloo sent a connection saying talks were to resume that day. 

On Monday, however, Local 1656 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) representing the workers sent a merchandise saying "negotiations betwixt CUPE and the Region of Waterloo person not resumed, contempt the Region's assertion successful a merchandise issued past week."

When asked to comment, a spokesperson for the portion said those talks did so instrumentality place.

"The Region of Waterloo and members of CUPE Local 1656 met virtually this past Friday afternoon. At that meeting, the Region provided a revised connection to CUPE Local 1656," said spokesperson Lynsey Slupeiks in an email.

"The Region is disposable to proceed negotiations arsenic soon arsenic imaginable to unafraid an statement that is just for CUPE 1656 members and affordable for residents," she continued.

CBC News reached retired to the national but did not perceive backmost successful clip for publication.

Those connected strike are outside workers, including working in departments similar landfill, roads and water, and the airport.

The onslaught started astatine 12:01 a.m. March 3. The national says it's calling for higher wages to support up with the rising outgo of living. 

"We person been precise wide that we volition not instrumentality to the array until the leader is acceptable to bring backmost the connection that they made to us," said CUPE Local 1656 President Phil Dominas.

The national has said that the portion initially offered a connection "that they gave to america and are present trying to instrumentality away," Dominas said successful the merchandise Monday.

The portion and national say some disruptions are anticipated owed to the onslaught action.

They include:

• Delays getting into the airport, arsenic pickets are slowing down postulation successful the area. People are advised to let an other hr erstwhile arriving astatine the airdrome for imaginable postulation delays.
• Landfills successful Cambridge and Waterloo are closed to the public.