Saint John city workers set to strike Tuesday

The union representing about 140 City of Saint John inside workers is preparing to strike.

There have been no new negotiations since members voted 94 per cent in favour of strike action last week, said CUPE Local 486 president Brittany Doyle.

"We've given the employer our 24 hours notice to strike," said Doyle, on Monday. "The citizens can expect disruptions in service. We will be planning to strike tomorrow."

CUPE Local 486 represents a wide range of employees inside city hall, including: administrative support, customer service, clerical, court services, financial services, recreation, and by-law enforcement. The union also represents employees with local police, fire, and 911 dispatch.

Saint John Mayor Donna Reardon said the city had strike contingency plans in place.

"911 dispatch would be our number one priority," said Reardon, on Monday. "We want to be fair to our workforce, we want to be fair to our citizens that are paying the bills. So we just need to get to that sweet spot."

Wages are the primary issue and the 'Wage Escalation Policy' (meant to align any city wage increases with tax base growth) is at the centre of the dispute.

In duelling statements, CUPE said the city was enforcing a contract that violated its own policy, while the city said its offer was "fully compliant."

The last contract for CUPE Local 486 expired in Dec. 2021. Negotiations for a new contract began in June 2022, but reached an impasse last month.

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