Oxford County Public Health workers set to strike just after midnight on Oct. 28
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Public health workers are poised to hit the picket lines Friday morning.
With just a few hours until the 12:01 a.m. strike deadline, the union said it would present a potential deal – altered only slightly since the last offer – to its membership Thursday evening.
“We haven’t moved an awful lot on the table,” said Denis LeChasseur, president of CUPE Local 1146.
That union represents almost all Oxford County Public Health employees, minus public health nurses. CUPE Local 1146 includes public health inspectors, planners, dietitians and nutritionists, epidemiologists, dental assistants and hygienists, among others.
Potential changes to sick leave are one of the main sticking points during this negotiation. Public health workers have been without a contract since the end of 2015.
“We are working as hard as we can for the best deal for the community and for us,” LeChasseur said. “Trust me, it’s been a very long, stressful process.”
Oxford County responded to questions with a statement on Thursday afternoon, noting that the county and CUPE Local 1146 met with a Ministry of Labour-appointed conciliator on Tuesday.
“The parties continue to work to reach a tentative settlement. The County remains hopeful a resolution will be reached and a strike averted,” said Amy Smith, director of human resources.
CUPE Local 1146 started informational pickets earlier this month, marching outside public health buildings and around Woodstock’s courthouse square.
Union members will meet after work on Thursday to discuss the current offer. If it’s turned down, workers will head to the picket lines.