City council is moving forward with a proces to work towards having an Ontario Labour Relations Board designation reversed.
Back in 1987, the City was designated as a construction employer which ward 3 councillor Matthew Shoemaker says has meant a monopoly on certain city construction projects for two specific unions.
A resolution from Shoemaker was passed at last night’s council meeting with only ward six councillor Joe Krmpotich the lone councillor voting against it saying he would never support any decertification.
Shoemaker says its about fairness in allowing local companies both union and non-union to bid on city work.
The resolution recognizes the fastest and most cost effective way to change the designation would be a legislative change as proposed by Kitchener MPP Michael Harris.
The other is to convince the Ontario Labour Relations Board and the process would begin in the 2019 budget year and last about three years and come with a cost of between 600 and 800-thousand dollars.
The City has made two attempts to decertify and both failed—in ’98 and 2004.