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‘Unions are an indispensable element of social life, a mouthpiece for the struggle for social justice.’ – John Paul II Mark Kraemer, Port Elgin Board Member and Chair of the Board, was heard to say on local radio that because of the hard work and dedication of Westario employees, the company was able to pay its dividend to shareholders (primarily participating communities) months in advance. If Mr. Kraemer spoke the truth, why did the company force a strike on those same workers? Westario employees have been on strike since August 20, 2004 with no talks planned.The primary issue now is the Letter of Understanding which guaranteed any contracting out would not result in job loss or reduction of hours for any employee. This Letter of Understanding was not on the table at the beginning of negotiations. Well into negotiations when the union refused cuts in benefits, the employer made the Letter an issue, essentially saying that the union would have to agree to the cuts or the Letter of Understanding would be void. The Letter, it should be pointed out, was not set out by management at the beginning as part of the negotiating package. The employer would know the importance given to the contracting out issue throughout the entire labour movement. Management would know the union could not accept the removal of the Letter of Understanding. To introduce it late and tie it to benefit issues was to invite a strike. This is not negotiating in good faith. Contracting out is a complex issue involving the private and public sectors throughout the industrialized world. It has been around long enough for us to know that there are as many disadvantages to contracting out as there are advantages. One might question the wisdom of management making it an issue at this time and especially using it as a bargaining chip over the benefits issue.
Mayor Sutton is on the Board of Directors. We do not know if
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he
thinks Westario workers are hard working and dedicated. We do know he has
not shown the courtesy or the interest to meet them on the picket line and
listen to their concerns. Mayor Sutton needs to tell us why he wanted to
be on the Board. He needs to say now where he stands in this labour
dispute, there is no room for fence sitting. Westario is a public utility;
the public has the right to know what Sutton’s part was in bringing about
a needless strike.