The union that represents 57 striking library workers is accusing the Essex County Library Board of trying to thwart democracy by cancelling a public meeting set for Wednesday night.
In a statement, CUPE Local 2974 accuses the board of trying to bully workers into submission as the strike now stretches into its eighth month.
"The library board's intentions are clear -- they want to dismantle democracy and bully workers to accept a pre-determined contract that was developed for other county workers," says union spokeswoman Lori Wightman in the release. "You would think that since this is the new year, our elected leaders would try a different tack to resolve this strike. But no, they are now escalating their bullying tactics and continuing their wrong-headed attempts to thwart democracy in our community."
Board chair Richard Meloche refutes the claim saying everything that was going to be discussed Wednesday night was already dealt with at an earlier pre-budget meeting on January 14.
"That's what the January 25 meeting was primarily going to be about," says Meloche. "There's really nothing to talk about when operations are at a standstill."
He also says the last offer from the board was their final offer and until the union is willing to accept it, there is little to discuss at the bargaining table.
The union also accuses the board of cutting off benefits for striking workers calling the move "mean-spirited," although the release also notes "the board has not even been paying for [the benefits] since the strike began."
Meloche says the board was going to move ahead with the meeting despite a very light agenda, but then the county asked it to cancel it.
"They've been looking to do a visioning session with their roads for the past two years," says Meloche. "They asked if we could postpone our meeting."
Meloche says projects including possible work to extend the EC Row Expwy. are expected to come up at the visioning session.
The next library board meeting is not planned until February 22, but Meloche says the board is available at short notice if any new issues arise.
