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THEBACHA/FORT SMITH
The Town of Fort Smith was formally given strike notice last week by its unionized workers. The workers will be in a legal position to strike July 18.

As of late last week, a strike by the 60-plus workers seemed inevitable as the Union of Northern Workers (UNW) rejected the town's latest contract proposal submitted on July 9.

UNW president Todd Parsons said the town had moved towards the union's position on details related to contracting out, which had been a stumbling block in negotiations, and accepted that there would be no contracting out resulting in reduction of work or layoffs for existing workers.

"But it came with a great amount of disappointment and frustration because the employer had changed its economic offer," Parsons said on July 12.

He said the town had been offering a 2.5 per cent wage increase in each year of a two-year collective agreement, but because of its concession on contracting out, it had reduced that to 1.5 per cent.

Parsons called that punitive, adding the union was checking with its lawyers on whether it constituted bad-faith bargaining. The union may consider an unfair labour practice complaint with the federal minister of Labour, he said.

"We're very disheartened that the Town of Fort Smith would take this approach and, as a result of the latest offer, the union yesterday (July 11) served official strike notice for July 18... and we intend on actioning it," he said.

Mayor Janie Hobart said the town's latest contract offer is more than fair.

"You have to realize that the contracting out clause is a monetary clause in the way that many of the other ones are and, as part of our bargaining, if we offer one we may have to reduce on another, and so it is not punitive," Hobart said, adding it's part of finding balance in a contract.

"It is not bargaining in bad faith," she insisted. "It is bargaining, and bargaining includes give and take."

Hobart said the Town of Fort Smith respects its employees, but the municipality is responsible to citizens to ensure an efficient and fiscally responsible operation.

In a July 11 letter to town residents, the mayor and council pointed out that five employees would receive wage increases well above the 1.5 per cent a year in its most recent offer, and it also pointed to other benefits to all employees, such as more special leave, increased acting pay, a new classification system and job sharing.

Despite the recent setback in negotiations, Parsons said he is going to remain optimistic that it is still possible to reach an agreement before a strike occurs.

"However, the employer is certainly talking directly with their constituents - meaning the residents of the town of Fort Smith - and sending letters and whatnot out preparing them for strike action, as well," he said. "I'm fairly confident that the union will proceed with strike action."

Hobart also maintains some hope a strike can be averted.

"We still have some time between now and Wednesday," she said on July 12. "So we definitely hope that that's a possibility, but we feel that we have given a very fair and generous and reasonable offer, and we don't feel that we can make any changes."

The town and the union previously reached an essential services agreement, which will see some unionized workers remain on the job: two water plant operators, the waterworks supervisor and the town foreman.

Parsons noted the landfill attendant will also remain on the job to ensure the facility is protected and maintained so the town can preserve its water licence, but any attempts to drop off garbage will be refused.

However, in its letter to residents, the mayor and council stated garbage will be collected once a week and the landfill site will be open four hours per day through contracted services.

"We had asked for garbage collection as part of our essential services because we did view it as a health issue," Hobart said. "However, the union did not see it that way. So therefore we still view it as a health issue and so we will have contracted services for garbage. It will be limited compared to our usual services, but there will be the opportunity for community members to have their garbage picked up and we will also have our landfill site open."

The town also intends to contract out dog control services.

As for whether contracting out some services might complicate settling a strike if a walkout happens, Hobart said, "Whether it does or not, I can't stress this enough: it's a safety issue. We can't just abrogate our responsibilities."

If a strike occurs, Town Hall will be open four hours a day. Fire and ambulance services and access to physiotherapy services at the rec centre will continue as usual.

However, the town's recreation facilities will be closed and a summer day camp for children will not operate.

On July 4, the union held a second strike vote among the municipal workers. They voted 95 per cent in support of a strike. A previous strike vote, which expired as part of a failed conciliation process, saw the workers vote 98 per cent in favour.

The previous three-year contract for the workers expired on Dec. 31.

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