GrandBridge Energy workers walked off the job at 12:01 a.m. on Sunday after rejecting an offer of settlement for a new collective agreement.
The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 636 represents 69 employees at GrandBridge Energy.
GrandBridge Energy said they entered negotiations in late 2022. According to a union representative, the collective agreement needed to be re-negotiated following a merger between Energy Plus and Brantford Power.
Domenic Murdaca, business manager for IBEW Local 636, said on April 11, 95 per cent of members voted in favour of a strike mandate. Then, on April 19, 71 per cent of members voted in favour of taking strike action.
“In our opinion, we did not get a fair agreement that maintained a lot of the benefits mainly Brantford Power had and Energy Plus,” Murdaca said.
Murdaca said the 69 unionized members are line workers, metering workers, locators and patrol room operators that maintain the electrical distribution system.
“If there’s any power outages or maintenance issues that arise there are, in our opinion, no workers to attend to those outages at all, they have minimal staff as far as management goes,” Murdaca said.
GrandBridge Energy said in a release it remains focused on the delivery safe and reliable electricity and will focus on addressing emergencies and restoring power during unplanned outages during the strike.
“GrandBridge Energy is eager to continue to work together with members of the IBEW bargaining unit to reach a resolution that is acceptable to the membership and the company,” said Ian Miles, President and CEO, GrandBridge Energy.
Murdaca said the union is prepared to go back to the table but they have not heard back from GrandBridge Energy.
“Until they give us a fair offer and a fair settlement we are prepared to stay out here as long as we have to,” Murdaca said.
GrandBridge Energy provides electricity to 109,000 customers in Brantford, Cambridge, Brant County and North Dumfries.
