Union, fed sign deal to staff military heating plants after shutdowns during strike

OTTAWA –

The Defence Department says the government has reached a deal with striking workers to get heating plants at several military bases running again.

The Union of National Defence Employees is part of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, and its members have been on strike since Wednesday.

National president June Winger says the government failed to consider heating and wastewater plant workers as essential during the strike, leading to a shortage of staff.

Winger says central heating plants at bases in Petawawa, Ont., Winnipeg and Halifax shut down, as did the wastewater plant in Winnipeg.

There was concern the heating plant at Royal Military College in Kingston, Ont., may also stop running due to a lack of staff.

A spokesperson for the Department of National Defence says the Treasury Board and union have now signed an agreement to add more essential staff to heating plants across the country.

Winger says that while heating plants are shut down, bases will lose everything from cooling systems to hot water for kitchens and shower facilities.

The Defence Department says heating and hot water were both disrupted at the garrison in Petawawa.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 21, 2023.