City inside workers vote 86 per cent in favour of strike action

Windsor city hall in Windsor, Ont. on Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2021. (Sanjay Maru/CTV Windsor)

The City of Windsor’s inside workers have voted 86 per cent in favour of strike action.

A national communications representative with the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) has confirmed that the members voted in favour of the strike mandate on June 3.

CUPE 543.1 represents over 1,500 inside workers with the city who work in administrative and office settings.

The contract between the city and CUPE 543.1 expired over six months ago and while bargaining meetings have been ongoing, the two sides have been unable to reach a deal, prompting the strike vote.

CUPE 543.1 posted to social media stating that while they had received a deal that mirrored the agreement with the outside workers - represented by CUPE Local 82 - but that the city then presented an offer that was “significantly worse” following council direction.

Wages remain the key issue in bargaining at this time.

Eric Bell, national communications representative with CUPE, said the strike vote doesn’t mean a strike will happen.

“They have that mandate from their membership to strike, if necessary,” said Bell.

“The Local is going to be bargaining later this month with the City of Windsor, and they do hope that this sends a strong message to the employer that the membership is united in wanting to achieve a deal that is fair and makes gains for those members.”

He said the city had proposed wages that were nearly identical to what the outside workers achieved before presenting an offer with a lower wage increase.

“They’re blaming uncertainty and tariffs as a result of why they can’t afford to pay those higher wages, but so far the city has not been able to provide any concrete evidence that the tariffs would prevent them from getting members to a deal that is closer to exactly what the outside workers achieved just a few months ago,” he said.

He added at this time, there is no strike date set.

“They full would expect to be able to get close to a deal that they deem fair. There is no date effective that they would go on strike just yet, there’s several steps that would have to happen before that.”

Bell said a number of talks are currently planned throughout the month of June.

The contract for the inside workers expired on Dec. 31, 2024.

- Written by Meagan Delaurier/AM800 News.