Talks fail; Hydro workers hit picket line

TREVOR HAGAN / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Enlarge Image 

Picketing workers acknowledge honks from passing motorists outside Manitoba Hydro’s yard on Sutherland Avenue Friday.

PICKET lines went up at several Manitoba Hydro facilities across Winnipeg and the province Friday night, after talks broke down between the utility and one of its unions.

The strike affects about 3,000 mem­bers of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 2034 -- linemen, truck drivers, meter techni­cians, mechanics and welders.

"Hopefully this will not be very long but no talks are scheduled," Lauris Kleven, business manager for Local 2034, said Friday night while walk­ing the picket line at the hydro yard in Point Douglas at 35 Sutherland Ave.

Hydro president Bob Brennan told media earlier in the day that the union's demands exceeded what the utility's customers can afford to pay.

The main issues have only been de­scribed as wages and contract length.

Kleven refused to detail the union's bargaining issues, but added that Hy­dro had offered the members a four­year contract with a wage increase of two per cent in the first year, zero in the second and a cost-of-living formula with a cap for the remaining two years. Workers had rejected that offer.

In an email to employees Friday, Bren­nan said he respected the right of Local 2034 members to strike and thanked non­striking staff for their co-operation.

"I respect the rights of IBEW and its members to take this action," Brennan states in his email to staff. "I remain hopeful that the strike will be short."

This is the first strike in Local 2034's 50-year history.

The striking workers can be seen briefly by motorists travelling on the northbound curb lane of the Disraeli Freeway.

Other pickets were to be set up at Hy­dro facilities on Waverley Street and Hemlow Bay. Twenty-four-hour pickets will be set up at Hydro's dispatch cen­tre on Grant Avenue and at its system control building at 453 Dovercourt Dr.

Late Friday night, Local 2034 an­nounced on its website that it would stage an hour-long picket at Hydro's new downtown headquarters on Por­tage Avenue at 2 p.m. today.

Hydro spokesman Glen Schneider said most customers will not be af­fected by the strike, adding the utility is also hoping it can avoid any weather­related disruptions. Schneider said some managers are being re-certified for maintenance work but added it's not believed they can provide the same level of service.

Hydro is also negotiating with two others unions in strike positions.

A spokesman for CEP Local 681, which represents the utility's natural gas operations, said its 235 members will not cross an IBEW picket line.

Jim Dixon, a CEP national repre­sentative, said Hydro has not asked CEP members to cross the IBEW picket line. Dixon said CEP members share a com­mon works yard with the IBEW mem­bers, where their trucks, equipment and tools are located. However, he said that CEP has made arrangements with the utility so that CEP members can be dis­patched from their homes without hav­ing to cross the IBEW picket line.

"We are in a legal strike position," Dixon said. "We're in conciliation at 8 a.m. Monday."

Marlene Kuleza, president of CUPE Local 998, which represents about 1,200 clerical workers and IT staff, said it's entering conciliation Oct. 5 but had not yet decided whether its members will cross the IBEW picket line.

aldo.santin@freepress.mb.ca

Union and issues

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 2034

Represents 3,000 workers, including metering technicians, building operators, storekeepers, truck drivers, mechanics, weld­ers, linemen and lab technicians.

Went out on strike at 6 p.m. Friday.

Work affected: Hydro says the flow of electricity to customers is not expected to be affected.

Lengthy delays can be expected for street light repairs and repair of distribution equipment.

New home connection will not occur during the strike.

Negotiation Issues: Dispute over wage demands and Hydro's insistence on a four-year contract.

Communication Energy Paper­workers Local 681 Represents 235 workers on Hydro's natural gas operation, including installers, gas-line re­pairs, underground line locators.

Conciliation talks set for Oct. 5, but in a legal strike position now. CEP said its workers will not cross the IBEW picket line, but the energy union is making ar­rangements to have its members dispatched from home if Hydro agrees.

Work affected: Gas line repairs, hookups for new homes, underground line location.

Negotiation issues: Wages.

Canadian Union of Public Em­ployees Local 998

Represents 1,200 workers involved in clerical work and information technology.

Conciliation talks set for Oct. 5, but in a legal strike position now. Local 998 had not yet decided if it would follow CEP and prohibit its members from crossing IBEW picket lines.

Negotiation issues: Wages.