Media Releases

Point Edward, ON, - The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) will be holding a mass solidarity rally in support of our members who are on strike, which work for Blue Water Bridge on:

Point Edward, ON, Nov. 22, 2016 - The 47 workers represented by the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) who work for Blue Water Bridge are on strike as of November 21, 2016. PSAC has reached out to other unions, community groups and the public to not use the Blue Water Bridge to avoid the picket lines.

Point Edward, ON, Nov. 20, 2016 - The 47 workers represented by the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) who work for Blue Water Bridge are taking strike action after the employer (the Federal Bridge Corporation), refused to bargain fairly and continued to demand major concessions. PSAC served the employer with the legally required 72-hour notice as of Thursday November 17, 2016, following a membership meeting with the workers at Blue Water Bridge. Members have made it clear that if the employer is not willing to negotiate fairly, that we would take strike action.

Point Edward – The 47 workers represented by the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) who work for Blue Water Bridge are holding a solidarity rally on Friday, November 18, 2016. Solidarity Rally – November 18, 2016, 12pm Blue Water Bridge Corporate Centre 1555 Venetian Boulevard, Point Edward, ON   Members from various unions will be joining these workers in a show of support given the potential strike or lockout that seems imminent given the employer has offered only one day for bargaining, on Saturday, November 19, 2016.

Thunder Bay - Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service (NAPS) Local 00401 have ratified their new collective agreement by an overwhelming majority on October 14, 2016. The new collective agreement will be in effect until December 31, 2018.

Kingston – On October 5, 2016, Queen’s University broke off talks with its postdoctoral scholars who are represented by the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC). With the employer walking away from the table, PSAC will now be conducting strike votes on October 13, 14 and 17, 2016.

Point Edward – The 47 workers represented by the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) who work for Blue Water Bridge will be undergoing strike training on October 11, 2016, to prepare for a possible strike or lockout now that the October 6, 2016 legal deadline has passed. PSAC or the employer can give a 72-hour notice at any time, triggering the countdown for a strike or a lock-out.

Point Edward – On Wednesday September 28, 2016, workers employed at Blue Water Bridge, which is owned by the Federal Bridge Corporation Limited, voted overwhelmingly for strike action should their employer not return to the bargaining table. The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), which represents these workers held a strike vote after entering the 21-day cooling period mandated under the Canada Labour Code while in conciliation.

Thunder Bay – The Public Service Alliance of Canada’s (PSAC) bargaining team met with the Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service (NAPS) and a conciliation officer on September 14 and 15 2016, to attempt to negotiate a fair agreement before being in a legal strike or lock-out position on September 16, 2016. PSAC’s bargaining team was able to secure a tentative agreement that we will be putting forward to the membership.

London – Postdoctoral Fellows (PDFs) at Western University have voted to join the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) to improve their working conditions. Western had challenged the employment status of all PDFs, stating that they were in fact not employees of the university. This challenge delayed the opening of the ballot box, which held the ballots of these workers on whether they wished to unionize.