The union representing workers at Carleton’s department of university safety is filing an unfair labour complaint after administration had the employees remove union symbols from their uniforms.
“Similar to police officers, special constables at Carleton University can only wear symbols on uniformed clothing that are permitted by policy and are work related,” director of university communications Don Cumming said via email. He cited poppies during Remembrance Day as an appropriate symbol.
He said Carleton has a long-standing policy guiding special constables on what they can and cannot wear as part of their uniform. He said they are asking employees to abide by the policy.
Brent Gobeo, union vice-president and bargaining committee chair, disagreed with that position.
“We believe that we are allowed to have freedom of expression,” he said. “The university is saying we are not allowed to wear those pins and express our message.”
Cumming said dispatchers are the exception.
Gobeo said this is because dispatchers are not publicly visible. Regardless, he said union pins did not get in the way of the uniforms of patrollers.
“Our goal is to let the [university] know that we are taking this quite seriously,” he said.
The union is Local 404 of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU).
They are in the midst of negotiating their first collective agreement with Carleton after 97 per cent of their members voted in favour of unionizing in May 2013, said Devon Reeves, university safety special constable and president of the local.
OPSEU 404 is made up of special constables, campus safety officers, communication operators, and student safety patrollers, with approximately half made up of students, according to Reeves.
Bargaining for the 50-member union’s first collective agreement with Carleton began Oct. 4, 2013.
“Local 404 is looking for improved working conditions, to enhance safety on campus,” Reeves said via email. However, he said talks have been slow in bargaining.
Gobeo said they are looking to have pay and benefits on par with special constables and safety employees working elsewhere.
After 12 meetings at the bargaining table, Reeves said the local filed for conciliation Jan. 17.
Cumming said the parties will meet Feb. 11 with the provincially-appointed conciliator, who will determine if the union and university are too far apart to make a deal.
Cumming said progress on some issues has been achieved, and the university remains committed to reaching an agreement at the bargaining table.
There is also a possibility of strike if an agreement cannot be reached, as the department is not classified as an essential service by the university.
This is probably because the Ottawa Police Service is also on call, Gobeo said.
“The concern of our members is that we reach a fair agreement to prevent a strike or lockout from happening, to ensure the safety of the Carleton Community,” Reeves said.
Cumming said the union’s executive has the intention to call a strike vote.
According to the OPSEU website, a strike vote does not mean the union will go on strike, but rather gives the bargaining team permission from the members to do so if necessary.
Cumming said the vote will be Feb. 5.
