Windsor -Essex Community Housing Corporation employees are looking for improved wages and work conditions during contract negotiations.
The approximately 100 employees, including custodians, maintenance staff, and administrators, have been without a contract since December. The group voted against the latest contract offer and 96 per cent in favour of strike action.
"We've never striked. We've never turned down a contract. We've just finally reached a point where we need things to change. Management is not listening to us. It's not just about the money, it's about the respect it's about the fact that we are not being acknowledged for the work that we do," said Glovasky-Ridsdale.
She said a major concern is workplace safety while working in the affordable housing units.
"We're in buildings where people are waving swords, and they have homemade tasers, and they use fire extinguishers as weapons," said Glovasky-Ridsdale. "When you hear about this [on the news], that's our workplace. When you hear about fires, when you hear about people waving swords and having to be taken down by SWAT teams, our workers are in those buildings and in those units while that's happening. We don't get told to go home."
The two sides will be meeting with a conciliator on Friday. A strike deadline has not been determined.
