Striking museum workers want arbitration
Last Updated: Friday, November 27, 2009 | 7:51 PM ET
CBC News
Museum employees demonstrate at the gates of the Parliament Buildings on Friday, asking that an arbitrator be appointed to help settle the dispute with the Canadian Museum of Civilization Corp. (CBC)Striking employees from the Canadian War Museum and the Canadian Museum of Civilization lobbied Labour Minister Rona Ambrose on Friday to appoint an arbitrator to end the 68-day dispute after they rejected management's latest contract offer.
"We need a neutral third party to drive us through the process," said Denise Corbett, a Museum of Civilization exhibit planner.
She was part of a group of museum employees who demonstrated at the gates of the Parliament Buildings wearing black-and-white striped cardboard shirts, similar to those identifying sports referees, to emphasize their point.
Late Thursday night, 96 per cent of workers who voted rejected what their employer, Canadian Museum of Civilization Corp., described as an "enhanced offer."
The Public Service Alliance of Canada, the union representing the 420 workers who walked off the job Sept. 21, said there was some movement on management's part.
"But in regards to job security and contracting out, what was in the offer was not enough for us to protect our jobs," said Patrice Rémillard, a member of the union's negotiating team. "With what happened last night, it's quite clear that now we have to ask for arbitration. …We're ready to go."
The union sent its request to Ambrose Thursday night, but as of Friday at 4 p.m. they had not received a response.
Chantal Schryer, vice-president of public affairs for the museum corporation, said Friday that management is still hoping for a negotiated agreement, but will have to look at the situation again and reassess its options next week.
"We're really sad today to see our colleagues still on strike," she said, adding that management put a lot into its latest offer. "We've basically touched on everything the union was asking."
Earlier in November, Ambrose publicly said she was prepared to appoint an arbitrator. The union supported that option, but at the time, the museum corporation said it still wanted to pursue a negotiated settlement. That brought the two sides back to the bargaining table for the first time since early October.
The striking workers include collections managers, exhibition designers, guides, interpreters and archivists at the museums.
The museums remain open during the strike, but attendance has been down and some events have been cancelled.
