NEW GLASGOW - Unless a dramatic change happens in the next day or so, Wayne Thomas doesn't see any way CUPE employees won't be setting up picket lines bright and early Monday morning.
Thomas, the Acute Care co-ordinator with the Canadian Union of Public Employees, says support workers at hospitals and schools are more than prepared to walk off the job Monday. The issue is wage parity with their counterparts in the Halifax Regional Municipality, but the government has come down with a firm stance that it cannot afford what the union is pushing for.
"We've heard nothing from the Department of Health or the employers that suggest even getting together at this point," Thomas said Wednesday afternoon. "I was hoping we'd have something set up by now."
With just days to go before the strike deadline hits on Monday, time is ticking away for those meetings to happen. Thomas believes it will take at least three or four days to work through the issues around a bargaining table.
"If they want to meet Sunday night, it's not going to affect anything," Thomas said. "There won't be enough time to work things out. These are big tables we're talking about, with all of the regional health authorities."
The 440 support workers will begin picketing at the Aberdeen Hospital at 6 a.m. Monday.
Because of the weather, workers serve four-hour shifts on the picket lines, which will be up 24 hours a day at spots like the hospital.
In case of emergencies, the Pictou County Health Authority will be able to go out to the picket line and ask for essential personnel to go back on the job temporarily.
"If that class of worker is on the picket line, they'll go on it - if not, we'll call them in, the same way it would work over nights," Thomas said. "If there are emergencies, we'll help out."
CUPE-represented janitorial staff, maintenance workers and bus drivers will also be going on strike.
Thomas has been meeting with union members across the region over the past few days and says they're ready and willing to hit the picket lines.
"They're feeling very resolved," he said.
The community seems to be supporting the workers, he believes. "They've been getting a lot of very positive comments," he said. "They understand this is an issue of fairness."
Community groups...
Every day the CUPE strike gets closer Chris Cruikshank's frustration level grows. Not only does he have to figure out a way to get his kid to school, but he's also had to find a training place for the 45 members of the Northumberland Karate Club, where he is sensei.
If a strike goes into effect, school buildings will be only opened for 20 minutes before classes start and 20 minutes after they end. That means all the sports practices, games and extracurricular activities held in them will end.
"It'll completely shut us down," says Fred Hampton, coach of the North Nova Education Centre girls.
His team is scheduled to have practice Monday and a game Tuesday. Neither will happen if the strike goes through.
Both school teams and the programs that use the schools after hours are scrambling to find alternative locations.
Cruikshank, who ordinarily held his classes at Trenton Elementary School, is going to be taking his students to the New Glasgow Karate Club.
While it's a temporary fix, it's far from ideal.
The clubs practise different styles of karate and meet on different days, so combining classes may prevent some students from going.
"When we have to go to their club it throws both structures off," he said.
The Trenton Recreation Department also holds some of its programs in the local schools, including gymnastics and their Steve Nash basketball class.
Director Martin Bates said he has been in contact with the YMCA in New Glasgow to see what can be held there, but it's difficult to find times that are free and that both coaches and players can go to.
"Once you start shifting your days and time around, you're going to lose some of your participants," he said.
Policing...
With a looming strike that will see bus drivers on the picket lines instead of riding around in a big yellow vehicle, traffic will likely be much heavier near local schools on Monday as parents find alternative ways to get their kids to class.
Public safety in this case is key, says Const. Ken MacDonald with New Glasgow Police, so officers will be monitoring traffic around schools closely next week.
"Patience is going to be a virtue - and also a must in this case. There will be traffic delays. People need to expect that."
Drivers should also keep their eyes peeled for students walking to school - police are expecting increased numbers of kids doing that, as well, he added.
Hugh Muir, acting chief of the Stellarton Police Department, doesn't anticipate any major foul-up from traffic near G.R. Saunders Monday morning if the strike goes ahead.
"Basically, that's what a lot of people do now - the smaller kids are picked up and dropped off," Muir said. "Occasionally on stormy days, there is a problem with volume of traffic and traffic moving slowly, but with our single school, it shouldn't impact things dramatically."
The good news is, though, that crossing guards are employed by the town and aren't affected by the CUPE strike that will see support personnel at schools and hospitals walk off the job on Monday.
"They'll be there as usual," MacDonald said.
