Outside workers strike leaves Cambridge short on snowplow drivers before impending storm

With a winter storm expected to hit the region early Tuesday morning, 180 outside workers in Cambridge continue to strike.

Talks between CUPE 32 and the City of Cambridge are set to resume at 10 a.m. Tuesday morning, hours after the storm is scheduled to hit.

CUPE 32 President Ray Burigana says Cambridge residents are in for a rough winter drive.

“We are the heroes of this city. We’re the ones that go out in the ice and snow storms and clear the roads and keep the public safe,” says Burigana. “With this upcoming storm tomorrow, I can assure you. the city will not have enough people to keep those roads safe, and it’s going to be a public health concern tomorrow.”

The City of Cambridge on the other hand says they have asked the supervisors and managers of outside workers who are licensed to drive salt trucks and snow plows to take over clearing the roads, with any extra work going to hired outside contractors.

“Tomorrow morning we’re going to be working to get all that salt out, but we do hope everyone will drive with caution as they would with any other event, and we’re working hard to keep public safety at the forefront.”

Both sides have confirmed talks reached a bit of a stalemate when CUPE 32 presented data proving Cambridge outside workers make less than others in the province, with the City of Cambridge wanting to gather their own data in cooperation with the union to confirm the numbers and work being done by employees of different cities.

The City of Cambridge says there is a protocol for job evaluation that needs to be followed in these cases to make sure everything is done fairly with almost any full time job in Cambridge. They want to work with the union to complete it before taking any steps.

Both are hoping for a smooth and quick resolution so that the 180 employees can get back to work, and the City of Cambridge says they will provide any updates to the situation on their website.

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