Hydro Ottawa, union to resume negotiations next week

Hydro Ottawa workers have been on strike since June 28.

Published Jul 13, 2023 • Last updated 13 hours ago • 2 minute read

File photo. A Hydro Ottawa lineman finishes up repairs to a power line on May 26, 2022. The collective agreement with IBEW Local 636, which represents hundreds of the utility’s trades and technical employees as well as inside workers such as customer service representatives, expired March 31. Photo by Errol McGihon /Postmedia

Hydro Ottawa and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 636 are scheduled to meet on two dates next week to continue negotiations on a contract for almost 400 employees.

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Mike Hall, a representative for the union, said Thursday that IBEW and Hydro Ottawa have agreed to meet on Monday, July 17 and Friday, July 21. According to Hall, Hydro Ottawa said that it would also make an effort to add another meeting date during the week.

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“We’re cautiously optimistic,” Hall said. “It’s never a bad thing to hear that you’re gonna get together and talk. To comment and how I think those talks are gonna go, I have no idea until I get there.”

Hydro Ottawa workers have been on strike since June 28. In a virtual vote the night before, 74 per cent of the union members who participated voted to reject a four-year contract offer. Membership had voted down a previous contract offer, by 81 per cent, on May 31.

The collective agreement with IBEW Local 636, which represents trades and technical employees as well as inside workers such as customer service representatives, expired March 31.

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Hall said he presented a handful of negotiation dates to the company following Hydro Ottawa’s call to get back to the table earlier this week.

“I’ve said it before, it is not our intention to negotiate through the media or to politicize the collective bargaining process,” Bryce Conrad, Hydro Ottawa’s president and CEO, said in a news release issued Tuesday. “We have extended an invitation to the IBEW representative directly to discuss their concerns.”

In the release, Hydro Ottawa said it provided “fair, responsible, and very competitive offers” exceeding industry norms. It said the company’s latest offer included wage increases, updated benefits, premiums and allowances.

Going back into negotiations, Hall said the union is seeking a promise from Hydro Ottawa that it will work to address non-monetary concerns such as staffing shortages, issues within the workplace environment and safety — all of which IBEW has said were key factors that led to the strike.

“They want to meet with us to talk about the issues that we brought up outside of generating a collective agreement and we’re happy to do so,” Hall said. “We’re not looking for these safety issues, environment issues and staffing issues to get fixed overnight, we’re just looking for a genuine commitment that they’re gonna be looked into, and then hopefully we can turn our minds to putting a deal on the table and end this strike.”