האגודה הישראלית לחקר יחסי עבודה

After two days of negotiations, talks have broken off between the Essex County Library Board and the union representing striking Essex County library staff.

The two sides were able to return to the table on Tuesday and Wednesday after CUPE Local 2974 withdrew a labour board complaint against the library board alleging bad faith bargaining. The library board’s chair, Richard Meloche, had said no new negotiations would take place until after the complaint hearing.

Sub-unit chair with CUPE Local 2974, Lori Wightman, says the complaint could be re-filed.

“It’s an option for the future,” says Wightman.

An Ontario Labour Board hearing to address the complaint was scheduled for Thursday, but has since been cancelled.

Wightman says the union gave the board three counter proposals over last two days, but none resulted in a new deal. While the two sides made some progress on peripheral items, there’s been no movement on the main issues of sick time and short-term disability.

“They have not moved off their position since before the strike. Those are the two things that put us out on the street to begin with,” says Wightman.

She adds the striking members are ready to stay out on the picket line as long as necessary.

“They took [the news of talks breaking down] in stride. They were determined and we’ll get back to it [Thursday],” says Wightman. “We got to do what we got to do.”

There aren’t any further negotiations scheduled.

The library board issued a statement on Wednesday saying that talks had ended with CUPE 2974 without an agreement being reached.

The board says it has no further comment at this time.

The strike started back on June 25.

— With files from Kirk Dickinson and Adelle Loiselle