The union representing workers at St. Clair Township's Clean Harbors landfill is poised to go on strike effective at 12:01 a.m. Monday.
Unifor Local 914 acts on behalf of 76 employees at the Telfer Road facility, including those in the thermal desorption unit, lab workers, janitors, and loader and fill operators.
National Rep. Gary Lynch said the parties have met six times and there are still some major sticking points.
He said female members don't even have their own changerooms or showers at the facility.
"Wages aren't quite there yet, and we've got some serious issues with gender equality," said Lynch. "The company is not progressing the female members and staff onsite by seniority. Those are a couple of the biggest ones. The erosion of seniority rights and their progression around the plant isn't being honoured. So, we've got some big ticket items still to deal with."
Lynch said the company is currently in shutdown mode, noting operations will be scrambling if workers go on strike.
He said the last collective bargaining agreement expired on April 29, 2021 and the two sides remain far apart when it comes to a resolution.
"The company will not budge on some of these issues. To be honest, they've filed for a Section 108 which forces a vote of the membership should the minister see fit. It's all posturing, we've already had a strike vote and we had 100 per cent unanimous support. The union took 35 proposals and keyed it back to six, and the company is still holding strong. Everything we send, they remodify it and twist it so it's not favourable for us to go forward with it. There's no way we can even recommend it to our membership."
A spokesperson for Clean Harbors told Sarnia News Today that they're working internally with the union on resolving the matter.
No further comments were made available.
