‘We could all be at work right now’: CUPE Local 1656 provides strike update
Posted Mar 13, 2025 10:49:58 AM.
Last Updated Mar 13, 2025 11:51:25 AM.
Striking outside workers gathered in front of Regional of Waterloo headquarters on Thursday to update the public on their ongoing job action as the strike enters day 10.
CUPE Local 1656 President Phil Dominas and CUPE Ontario President Fred Hahn addressed the public and the media at 9:30 a.m. alongside a crowd of picketing workers.
The 220 outside workers have been on strike since March 3, closing waste management centres in Waterloo and Cambridge.
“There’s no reason that we need to be here today. We could all be at work right now,” said Dominas, addressing the crowd on Thursday. “We’re only here because of council chair Karen Redman and her council’s decision to go back on their word to provide us with fair wages.”
“They gave us an offer we could have accepted, and then took it back the next day, not to our face, but in an email.”
At the press conference, Dominas and Hahn outlined how regional council can resolve the strike and get outside workers back to work.
The municipality’s council held a special meeting this morning, with an item to receive information “relating to a labour relations matter” set to be discussed in closed session.
More to come.
