STRIKE TO LIMIT STUDENT ACCESS TO RESIDENCE SHOWERS
The union representing the University of Ottawa’s 28 power plant operators concluded day one of their strike on Aug. 30, as the school takes precautions for possible repercussions in the coming days – despite negotiations planned to continue Saturday morning.
The International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 772 declared a strike after failed discussions with university administration to compromise on fair market wages and solutions for payroll mistakes.
Students were warned through an email notice sent out by the Provost and Vice-President of Academic Affairs, Jacques Beauvais, that if the strike were to continue, multiple residences and campus buildings would be at risk of missing air conditioning and hot water. The email states, “Most buildings on the main campus are affected except for the Minto Sports Complex, the Desmarais building and certain residences.”
As students continue to move into residence, a temporary 20-shower station was set up in the 90U parking lot; the residence fits 652 people. A Fulcrum reporter overheard workers setting up the showers stating that the showers could be used as soon as Sunday or Monday if the strike were to continue and the buildings running out of hot water.
The IUOE 772 Business manager, Greg Hoath, told the Fulcrum, “We apologize to all the students, staff, professors, and the public. We encourage them to contact the University to help settle the dispute. We apologize for any inconvenience…”
Hoath continues, saying that the University has been aware of the possible strike since August 12th, yet negotiations between the parties fizzled out late Thursday night as the University walked away from the union’s offer.
Since the expiration of the union’s collective bargaining agreement in July of 2023, power plant workers have reported consistent issues occurring with missed pay premiums – for work such as night shifts, overtime, and seniority – while being unable to retain or hire qualified workers.
As the sector itself faces a 3,000-employee deficit, the IUOE 772 is demanding fair market wages from the University of Ottawa in order to entice new and retain previous workers. Pay adaptations like this are preceded through the 2023 power plant worker’s four-day strike at the University of Western.
Catarina Rontondo, the business agent for the IUOE 772 stated that “without fair settlement, the university risks losing more engineers, which could plunge it into a significant crisis” notably worker safety in regards to the investment and maintenance of equipment and a properly sized staff. The operating engineers voted 100 per cent in favour of the strike.
Additionally, the IUOE 772 is asking for the University to agree on changes within payroll language to resolve “constant payroll errors.” Kris Wright, shop steward for the power plant and employee of the University of Ottawa for 11 years, told the Fulcrum that he is tasked with “babysitting my paychecks to make sure they are paying me the proper things, then I got to backtrack to make sure that the next pay, they did pay it out, if not I have to go back.” Rontondo adds how the current payroll issues “create a domino effect that some, if not all, can barely keep track of.”
U of O spokesperson Jesse Robichaud declined the Fulcrum’s request for an interview, redirecting to the emails sent by Beauvais.
