By Lindsey Harren [1]
BELLEVILLE– The local Canadian Hearing Society [2] office remains closed as negotiations between the society and its unionized workers are scheduled for Wednesday.
CUPE 2073 [3] members walked off the job three weeks ago amid stalled contract negotiations. CUPE’s Barbara Wilker-Frey, said that Wednesday is the first time the two sides have sat down to bargain.
Belleville is one of the twenty picket lines across the province, she said.
Managements workers are running a small number of offices, said Kara-Ann Miel, the director of marketing and communication at the Canadian Hearing Society. Staff who are not unionized make up 40 people who are now trying to cover for 227 unionized staff across the province, said Miel.
The Canadian Hearing Society provides services and counselling for people who are hard of hearing.
More to come.