THUNDER BAY -- A deal to get striking Bombardier workers back on the job at the city’s plant appears to be nowhere in sight as the work stoppage approaches two months.
Nearly 900 members of Unifor Local 1075 have been on the picket lines since July 14, and negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement are up in the air following a mutual decision by both sides to take a break from talks.
Unifor Local 1075 president Dominic Pasqualino said his side is now in a holding pattern.
“I was hoping there would have been a settlement by now and that’s what we were all working for. All the people on our side were at the table,” he said Monday afternoon.
“Unfortunately the people on the other side of the table weren’t able to come up with a decision and that’s where we’re at right now.”
Bombardier spokeswoman Stephanie Ash said the company had nothing further to add following their statement last week.
Negotiations broke down last Friday after the company and union failed to bridge each side together following four days of talks.
Pasqualino said he had no idea when discussions might resume.
Leo St. Cyr, who was worked with at the plant for more than 30 years, said workers had expected the dispute to be resolved in a matter of weeks.
There is disappointment that wasn’t the case.
“We just can’t believe the company isn’t making an effort,” St. Cyr said.
In late August Bombardier successfully applied to the provincial Ministry of Labour to have workers vote on what the company called their final offer. It was rejected by about 81 per cent of those who voted.
The primary points of contention are the company’s stance on having new hires switch pension plans from a defined benefit plan to a defined contribution strategy.
The company’s offers would also see employees hired after Dec. 31, 2010 not receive early retirement benefits, instead getting a $350 lump sum payout.
Pasqualino said there is still resolve amongst the workers to not concede.
“They’ve made it very clear they’re not going to go back with a poor offer. I think they’re determined to stay as long as it takes to get things settled,” Pasqualino said. “I wish we could get to the table and talk but we’re not there yet.”
St. Cyr said it's not just the workers who are losing as a result of the strike.
“Everybody has bills, that’s for sure, but this is costing (Bombardier) money too. How much money they want to lose is up to them. Everybody here wants to go back to work but we want to have what we should have but we don’t want to lose anything,” St. Cyr said.
“The ball is in their park.”
