The crowd was much larger than usual in the gallery at city hall Monday night.
City workers represented by CUPE Local 287 attended the meeting. Wearing red and white CUPE buttons, the workers were peaceful as they sat and watched the proceedings in the gallery at that evening's council meeting.
In a statement issued to reporters following the meeting, CUPE said the workers were attending to demonstrate their support for concluding a fair collective bargaining agreement with the city. They say they have been without an agreement for more than six months.
Their contract expired March 31.
CUPE said their local "requested the opportunity to meet with city council to discuss their concerns with the slow pace of bargaining, but council refused."
CUPE Local 287 president Dan Suberlak said the goal was to provide a human face to the situation.
"It's just letting council know who their employees are and getting our faces out there so they recognize us and the services we provide to the City," said Suberlak.
"We'd like a nice, new, fair agreement," he said.
CUPE noted the city workers include the public works crews who clear the roads, the lifeguards who teach children how to swim and the parks workers who maintain the green spaces and playgrounds. CUPE Local 287 represents about 100 city workers.
The large gathering in the gallery did not go unnoticed by councillors. The affable Councillor Ron Crush noted the interest of the city workers in the proceedings of council and expressed his thanks and appreciation to them "for all you do."
