City asks labour board to settle Transit safety team dispute

By: Joyanne Pursaga Posted: 5:47 PM CDT Monday, Mar. 25, 2024

The City of Winnipeg is seeking help from a third party to resolve a labour dispute over community safety officers, who began patrolling Winnipeg Transit buses and stops last month.

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The City of Winnipeg is seeking help from a third party to resolve a labour dispute over community safety officers, who began patrolling Winnipeg Transit buses and stops last month.

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The City of Winnipeg is seeking help from a third party to resolve a labour dispute over community safety officers, who began patrolling Winnipeg Transit buses and stops last month.

The dispute first made headlines in January, when the Winnipeg Police Association, a union that represents officers, filed a grievance that accuses the city of violating its collective agreement by forming the community safety team.

The union claims the team performs duties that should be seen as the domain of police. The grievance is expected to be heard by an arbitrator on Aug. 12 and 13.

The Winnipeg Police Association claims the community safety officers performs duties that should be seen as the domain of police. The grievance is expected to be heard by an arbitrator in August. (Mike Deal / Free Press)

However, the City of Winnipeg has now filed an application to the Manitoba Labour Board, which asks it to confirm the current 20 safety officers should continue to be represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 500 and the team’s two supervisors should remain with the Winnipeg Association of Public Service Officers union, which it believes is central to the dispute.

“We would simply be asserting the position that our determination is correct and that we can proceed (with the) status quo… We would continue to operate the community safety team as we have been,” said Michael Jack, the city’s chief administrative officer.

However, the union stresses its complaint is about the type of work safety officers perform, not which union represents them.

“Rather than try to resolve matters, the city has inexplicably chosen to file an application with the labour board, seeking an order that these ‘safety officer’ positions belong to CUPE… We have repeatedly advised the city that the positions may remain with CUPE, but the police duties that are assigned to them should be removed,” wrote union president Cory Wiles, in an emailed statement.

He argued safety officers are put at risk by their current tasks.

“Although these officers are not police officers, they are arresting, detaining and dealing with criminal activity within our city… The city is putting these ‘safety officers’ and the public in a very real and unsafe position, as they are lacking the full set of tools and training required to do what everyone with common sense can recognize as police work,” wrote Wiles, who was not available for an interview.

Jack said the city will ask the arbitrator to adjourn the arbitration hearing slated for August, since the city believes the labour board has jurisdiction on the matter.

Both Wiles and Jack stressed they would prefer a negotiated solution.

“We are continuing to try and have discussions among the parties just to see if there is some path through this that doesn’t involve either a grievance arbitration or a labour board hearing. (We) haven’t found that path yet. At the city, we would certainly like to just focus on the successful operation of this new team,” said Jack.

The Manitoba Labour Board confirmed it received an application from the city but noted it has not yet determined if the matter will be set for a hearing.

Meanwhile, Jack said the dispute is “not in the least” holding up the community safety team’s work, noting safety officers and police officers have been working well together.

“The community safety team has received wonderful support and co-operation from the Winnipeg Police Service… In practical terms, it’s been a very good relationship,” he said.

The CAO also rejected the union argument that community safety officers perform police duties.

“The province specifically created these designations to not be police officers… We think we’ve already demonstrated that the work they are doing out in the community is fundamentally different, even if they share some powers at law with the sworn police officers,” said Jack.

The head of CUPE local 500 said his organization has applied for intervenor status, should there be a labour board hearing, and agrees with the city that safety officers should continue as members of their existing union.

“These community safety officers most certainly are not police but police are important to have within our community. There’s a time and a place and a need for them and we’re grateful for the roles they play… I (also) think the community is quite happy with the role of what a community safety officer is,” said union president Gord Delbridge.

The community safety team began operating on Winnipeg Transit buses and at bus stops on Feb. 20, with the goal of addressing an increase in violence against Transit drivers and riders.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

X: @joyanne_pursaga

Joyanne Pursaga
Reporter

Born and raised in Winnipeg, Joyanne loves to tell the stories of this city, especially when politics is involved. Joyanne became the city hall reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press in early 2020.

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