Electrical workers at City of Calgary-owned Enmax have voted in favour of a strike, their union said Friday.
According to International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 254, 98.5 per cent of the nearly 400 employees it represents voted in favour of strike authorization.
The move legally gives the union permission to serve Enmax with a 72-hour strike notice.
“We’re looking for a new collective agreement that reflects the value that our members bring to the organization,” said Brad Dougherty with IBEW Local 254 in an interview with Global News.
“(Enmax) has had record successes and our members are essential to contributing to that success, as well as to the City of Calgary. We’re looking to have that recognition of our value.”
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Dougherty said the result shows the members are unified, but they’re not looking for a disruption of services.
IBEW Local 254 represents nearly 400 outdoor technicians with and have been out of a contract since the end of last year.
According to the Government of Alberta’s collective bargaining summary, both sides were engaged in mediation.
“We’re committed to get back to the table with Enmax and have meaningful conversations in order to come to an agreement,” Dougherty said.
“The plan is to get together and have those discussions and reach a fair settlement that works for both parties.”
In a statement, Enmax said it has been working with IBEW Local 254 toward a renewed collective agreement over the last several months.
“While we’re disappointed by the vote outcome, we value our union team members and remain hopeful we can reach a fair and balanced agreement without disruption to our operations,” the city-owned utility said.
According to Dougherty, both sides are working to finalize dates to come back to the table next week.
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