Hydro Ottawa employees could walk off job Wednesday
Posted Jun 23, 2023 04:07:23 PM.
Last Updated Jun 26, 2023 12:54:07 PM.
If no deal is reached, Ottawa hydro workers could be headed for the picket lines this week.
The union, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), and Hydro Ottawa Ltd. remain in talks, but employees will be in a legal strike position as of Wednesday, June 28, one minute after midnight.
Mike Hall, a business representative with the union, told CityNews Ottawa on Friday, June 23, that it is ‘likely’ union members could go on strike if no deal is reached Tuesday night. “There’s a very good chance, if that offer is turned down, there’s a very good chance that we would on strike on Wednesday,”
He added that some of the union’s demands included higher compensation and a better work environment. Hundreds of union members could be affected by this strike, Hall said. “It would be all the unionized members at Hydro Ottawa, which is approximately 395 folks.”
Hydro Ottawa calls its offer to employees “competitive” and claims that it “exceeds industry norms.”
In a statement to CityNews Ottawa, the utility said there is a contingency plan in place to maintain hydro service and restore outages during a strike if workers walk off the job.
“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.”
