PEIAs Charlottetown water and sewer workers enter their second month of striking, their union president is calling negotiations with the city ‘impossible.’5 city councillors attended a town-hall event put on by the union earlier this weekMarilee Devries · CBC News · Posted: Aug 29, 2025 2:24 PM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hour agoAround 10 people picketed on the sidewalk in a residential neighbourhood Thursday while a private company was doing a job the striking workers said they would normally be doing. (Tony Davis/CBC)As Charlottetown water and sewer workers enter a second month of striking, their union president is calling negotiations with the city “impossible.””We expect to negotiate in good faith, which means we tell you the truth and the other side tells us the truth. But the problem is it’s only one-sided,” said Robbie Howatt, president of CUPE Local 830. “They come with a firm ‘This is what we’re going to do.’ And there’s no give or take there on their side of it.”About 30 workers walked off the job on July 29, after more than two and a half years without a contract. They say their key issues are job security, seniority and wages. In an email, city officials say they are committed to working toward a negotiated agreement. A contingency plan has been activated during the strike, with managers and contractors keeping Charlottetown’s pipes flowing.Officials have previously said the water supply is safe and services will continue. But Howatt says he has heard from some residents that services have been disrupted, particularly for people building new homes.The city said Friday that it is “co-ordinating with developers to complete water and sewer connections for new builds.”‘One of the biggest holdups’Howatt said that one of the biggest holdups in the negotiations, from the union’s perspective, is management having a lawyer at the table. “When we go to negotiate with CUPE 830, or any other CUPE local, they go to the table with the members that do the work and that’s who does the negotiations,” he said. “Why does management need a lawyer there? And that is one of the biggest holdups here, having a lawyer at the table.”‘Let the people that know the work do the work,’ said Robbie Howatt, president of CUPE Local 830, who told CBC News that striking workers are seeing ‘a ton of public support.’ (Tony Davis/CBC)In response, city officials told CBC News that “It has been the city’s longstanding practice to have legal representation present during collective bargaining over the past 30 years, with very few exceptions. “The city has had legal representation present for the entirety of the current bargaining process.”The union held a town hall information session on Aug. 27, which was attended by five city councillors, including Coun. Mitch Tweel. “I was glad I was there to get as much information as I possibly can,” said Tweel. “I really hope that we can resolve this as soon as possible.”‘These workers are very, very important to our city,’ said Charlottetown Coun. Mitch Tweel of the city’s water and sewer workers. ‘They do one heck of a job.’ (Tony Davis/CBC)Tweel said both sides have to come back to the table. “I would like to see our bargaining unit initiate that and, you know, sit at the table and say, ‘Okay, where is there give and take? What can we live with? What can’t we live with?'” Tweel said.”And then council has to make that final decision. Let’s be clear: The negotiating team takes its direction from city council.”Special certification a sticking pointThe striking workers are responsible for several duties, including maintaining the city’s water and wastewater systems, repairing water and sewer lines, conducting inspections, responding to water main breaks and ensuring water safety guidelines are being met. The union has asked for a 3.5 per cent wage increase each year for the next four years. They also say some workers are being told they have to get special certification, even though they are already performing the jobs.Nearly a month into their strike, Charlottetown water and sewer workers say no progress madeCharlottetown water and sewer workers say talks with the city on a new contract have stalled. They’ve been on strike since the end of July, demanding better wages and job security. As CBC’s Connor Lamont reports, union reps say city officials are ignoring their job action, and it’s not clear when a deal will be made. “Ninety per cent of our members are certified,” Howatt said. “That’s a fact. And there’s three people that can’t get certified because they haven’t been there long enough. You need to have a year in before you get certified… Those three are part time.”Howatt said two other members have half their certification and there are two foremen who are certified, but “just not certified to the level that [the city wants] them to be.” He added: “For 60 years, we’ve never ever came to this point where we actually went on strike or even had a strike motion. This membership is now saying enough is enough.”ABOUT THE AUTHORMarilee Devries is a journalist with CBC P.E.I. She has a journalism degree from Toronto Metropolitan University. She can be reached at marilee.devries@cbc.caWith files from Tony Davis
Charlottetown water-sewer strike enters 2nd month as union vows: ‘Enough is enough’
