In an effort to finalize contact negotiations, members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) local 2424 voted 83 per cent in favour of a strike mandate Sept. 27.
The vote does not necessarily mean there will be a strike, but rather gives the union’s leaders the right to call one should further negations with the university fail.
“The strike is always the last [resort]. You don’t work towards a strike, you work to avoid a strike,” said Wiz Long, president of CUPE 2424.
The union represents over 800 professionals, office and technical employees at the university who, according to a CUPE 2424 press release, have been without a working contract since June 30.
The union’s main concerns are not wages, but rather issues of job security and pension for its members, Long said.
In 2007, CUPE 2424 went on strike for two weeks when a collective agreement bargaining with the university proved unfruitful, the release said. It was the second strike in CUPE 2424’s 24-year history.
“We know this employer's tactic is to wait until there’s a strong strike mandate before negotiating seriously with its Union,” said CUPE national representative Susan Arab in the press release.
According to Jason MacDonald, director of Carleton’s department of university communications, Carleton is focused on coming to a negotiated settlement. Negotiations will begin Oct 1.
Collective agreement bargaining takes place with representatives from the Board of Governors, which, according to Long, can make negotiations lengthy and tedious.
“It’s always been a problem because we’re not sitting across from anyone who can make a substantial decision,” Long said.
CUPE 2424 is not the only union on campus considering strike tactics. On Oct. 4-5 the Carleton University Academic Staff Association will also vote whether to give its leaders a strike mandate.
“We’re not anticipating a strike, we’re not looking to go on strike, we will only strike if absolutely necessary,” Long said.