Cornwall Ontario – The buzz finally hit the page as Cornwall City Councilor Andre Rivette leaked to the CBC and then confirmed with CFN, that the issue that led to the CUPE strike is the city asking the union to move from 100% of wages for up to 17 weeks per year of short term leave to 75%.
The Union had not shared why they’ve been on strike; just that after years without new contracts for its locals they were hitting the streets which in itself is odd.
This morning Andrea Addario of CUPE gave a clear “No Comment” regarding Rivette’s comments. She did confirm that the issues are wages and concessions.
Rivette confirmed that Geoff Clarke and his many titles brought the issue of leave to council supported by his long time good friend CAO Maureen Adams. ( The two worked in the auto sector in the Toronto area around the same time before moving down the 401 to Cornwall)
Council supported the stand on this issue. Rivette confirmed that he was the lone vote against for example at Monday’s Council meeting. (Mark MacDonald, Justin Towndale, and Maurice Dupelle were not present) He’s also not running again in the upcoming Fall election. It should be interesting to see if Council brings in an Integrity Commish over the Mark MacDonald issue if this ends up on their plate too as clearly Rivette has compromised the HR and CAO; although Council could simply fire the CAO and change direction as well.
He confirmed that the offer to be voted on Monday still has no change regarding the 75% clawback on leave.
He also confirmed that Mayoralty hopeful, and local art hating fascist David Murphy, supported the clawback of CUPE workers leave.
Councilor Rivette also confirmed that the impasse is the leave issue which makes sense as the City resolved a contract with their Cornwall Transit workers recently establishing a level of increases to wages.
Rivette also felt that the issue of abuse of leave should’ve been addressed rather than the amateur hour of trying to claw back a long term leave issue. IE identify workers abusing leave and dealing with them.
Monday CUPE workers vote on the City’s offer which includes the cut to 75%.
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Wow Rivette cut the cards and showed his hand. He’s got nothing to lose. Adams and Clarke playing dirty with city employees. Shame on you two. You should both be fired. And Murphy is a hypocrite of the worse type. I wouldn’t vote for him as a feral cat catcher now. It’s not Murphy’s Inn. It’ll be Murphy’s OUT. Goodbye loser
Great scoop Jamie & on the week-end to boot ! A few questions, if I may, obviously this was an in-camera meeting & vote ? Wonder how our local member of the Labour Council voted ? With murphy voting for the claw-back (quell surprise) that left only 7 more votes ! Good point, about Andre & the Integrity Com. , glad he did it . Can we get a 2 for 1 deal with the “I.C.” ? lol
Mr Rivette was categorically clear that of the council present on Monday night he was the only one to vote against the Claw back. One wonders if perhaps this was some sort of Cornwall Council hustle where support for the farcical BOM buy was swapped for screwing over long term CUPE members who deserve better.
Again, you get the council you support and they had better options for mayor and council. They just might again 😉
Clearly if Mark MacDonald, Justin Towndale and Maurice Dupelle were absent and Andre was the ONLY vote against that means that Elaine ( the hypocrite pro union) McDonald voted FOR. That should cost her 400 union votes + friends and family members next election. The same for Bernadette Clement next federal election or the one after that or the one after, after that.
I’m fed up with this out of town bullying management group. It’s time they get FIRED. They have to go….ASAP. .. This city can buy the bank of Montreal building, give managers raises and bonuses, consider spending a ton of money for a ton of rust ( train at 9th and Brookdale) settle out of court for several cases ( Doug and Rachel Raymond) (Diane Shay) plus others. But can’t negotiate fairly
Thank you Jamie and Mr. Rivette for letting the taxpayers know who the hypocrites are. Shame on this council for the terrible image the city has received and the dangerous position it has put our entire community in.
Hopefully now the residents of Cornwall will now see what petty people we have as our city councillors. Big increases / benefits for senior management. But when it comes to average city staff they go after their benefits and ones that most city staff don’t use. Go after the abusers of the benefit, not the ones who never use the benefit. It isn’t rocket science!!
Don’t forget folks. Vote for Elaine McDonald, Bernie Boo Boo again. The jokes on us. Anyone see our Mayor? a total disgrace of one. Go stand outside city hall and do what you do best, smoke your life away!
Is this a joke? Everyone is on the workers side?? WTF is wrong with people? The only jobs in the world that offer you more than a week sick leave are government and city jobs….take your 13 weeks sick leave and go back to work….
Research is important. It looks like some people don’t know how to do it before commenting.
Hey Greg Norman. Learn some facts. Why do fire and police get all they want. And transit had no sick time removed, and managers got huge raises AND bonuses when they can’t cut budget in their own department. They’re on sunshine list. Many strikers without contract for several years. Greg how long have YOU gone without a raise. Once city takes away benefits, they’ll keep taking away from same peopl