Head of Hydro Ottawa hopeful an agreement can be reached amid ongoing strike
Posted Jun 28, 2023 12:24:16 PM.
Last Updated Jun 29, 2023 01:08:05 PM.
The head of Hydro Ottawa is hopeful that an agreement can be reached as Hydro workers remain on strike for a second day.
Bryce Conrad, the president, and CEO of Hydro Ottawa, addressed the strike in a news conference Thursday, June 29. He said there are anticipated service disruptions because of the strike, but Conrad hopes that any disruptions or delays to daily service can be resolved quickly.
“While labour disruptions certainly (are not) our desired outcome, we are committed, again, to reaching a balanced and responsible agreement,” he said. “We will continue to share regular updates to keep our community informed, if (there are) impacts to service.”
Hundreds of union workers walked off the job Wednesday after contract talks failed.
The union, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), and Hydro Ottawa Ltd. were in talks earlier this week for a new contract, but they failed to reach an agreement Tuesday night.
The latest contract presented by Hydro Ottawa was rejected by 74 per cent of the workers of the IBEW bargaining unit.
Mike Hall, a business representative with Local 636 IBEW, told CityNews Ottawa last week that some of the union’s demands included higher compensation and a better work environment.
Workers, including trade, technical, and office staff, have been without a contract since the end of March.
Around 20 hydro workers held signs as they walked the picket line in front of City Hall, timed to coincide with the start of a city council meeting inside.
“I have lots of respect for Hydro Ottawa employees, as I do for all employees who work in the municipal sector,” Mayor Mark Sutcliffe told reporters after the council meeting. “I respect their right to demonstrate and to strike, and I hope this is going to be resolved very quickly.”
“There’s a plan in place to deal with any issues in the days ahead, if the strike continues,” Sutcliffe added.
In a statement to CityNews Ottawa last week, Hydro Ottawa said it would maintain service and restore outages during a strike.
“Hydro Ottawa remains committed to negotiating in good faith towards a responsible deal for both our employees and our customers. We have maintained open lines of communication with the union throughout this process. We will continue to work together to reach a resolution while maintaining our focus on delivering safe and reliable electricity to the communities we serve.”
