Staff at NAC vote to strike
Posted May 18, 2022 03:10:00 PM.
Operations, ushers and box office staff at the National Arts Centre (NAC) have overwhelmingly voted to strike.
According to a news release on May 18, these workers have worked without a contract since 2018 and 2019. The strike vote follows the unions' efforts to get a fair deal, including declaring impasse and undergoing conciliation.
“The workers at the NAC have been through a lot, between pandemic lockdowns and the convoy affecting operations,” said Alex Silas, the Public Service Alliance of Canada's regional executive vice-president for the national capital region in a release on May 18. “The federal government provided $35.4 million to the NAC to help them re-open, so why aren't the workers being offered fair wage increases.”
Negotiations will resume Friday, May 20, and continue next week.
“We are confident a fair deal can be worked out prior to the Governor General's Gala, if the employer is willing to address outstanding issues,” added Silas.
The groups are pushing for fair wage increases, especially considering inflation and to make up for losses related to pandemic and convoy closures.
