Edmonton city strike: What will be open, closed, affected and unaffected
Edmonton’s city manager says civic staff is taking steps to minimize the impact of a strike by more than 6,000 workers slated to begin on Thursday morning.
Andre Corbould in a Monday media release said safety and security are the top priorities as the city prepares “to respond to the labour disruption, and contingency plans are in place to minimize service disruptions.”
“Effective immediately, these plans and the Emergency Operations Centre are being activated to ensure a coordinated approach to maintaining core services,” Corbould said.
The workers represented by the Civic Service Union Local 52 on Friday turned down a contract offer from the city in a direct vote.
They voted 87.6 per cent against the city’s offer of a retroactive 7.25-per-cent wage increase over five years from 2021 to 2025.
The workers have been working without a contract since 2020 and last month voted in favour of strike action.
Potential service disruptions
The city said these services will be affected if workers in Civil Service Union Local 52 go on a full strike:
- recreation centres
- city attractions
- 311 info phone line
- building inspections and permits
- pet licensing
- -ransit tickets, passes, subsidized passes, and lost and found
- parking and bylaw ticket enforcement
Services expected to continue
The city said the services that are expected to be unaffected are:
- Edmonton Fire Rescue Services
- Edmonton Transit Service
- Dedicated Accessible Transit Service (DATS)
- construction on capital projects
- snow clearing
- waste collection
Libraries to close
The Edmonton Public Library on Monday said all branches will close on Thursday at 11 a.m. when CSU 52 workers begin their strike.
All programs, classes, events and services are cancelled for the next week, it said.
- Library users will be able to access the EPL’s online resources and catalogue.
- Customers should keep loaned material at home until it reopens.
- Due dates for materials will be extended. Late fees will not accrue.
Police emergency services will be ‘normal’
In a media release on Tuesday, the Edmonton Police Service said its emergency services and response “will function as normal” during a strike.
Residents can call 911 for emergencies and 780-423-4567 for non-emergent situations.
Officer recruitment will continue but timing may be affected, police said.
EPS said other changes to its service will include:
- closure of all EPS front counters except downtown.
- suspension of police information checks
- public access to the police-seized storage lot restricted to 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays.
- property and exhibit section public access restricted to 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays.
- suspension of public job postings and civilian recruitment.
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