10-07-2025
Windsor eliminates 38 seasonal, part-time workers
Job cuts have been made at the City of Windsor.
Speaking on AM800's Mornings with Mike and Meg, CUPE Local 82 President Rob Kolody said 38 seasonal, part-time workers were let go effective last week.
He said during recent contract talks with the city, the union asked for job protection language.
Kolody said the union wanted language where if the city decided to eliminate full-time jobs, seasonal workers could no longer continue working.
He said a memorandum of agreement was not reached that governs the seasonal workers.
Kolody said he doesn't understand the cuts.
'Ultimately right now there's no seasonal that are here,' said Kolody.
'The language that we were asking for is simple, if down the road council decided to eliminate full-time jobs, they would have to consider the fact that seasonal can't continue to work here.'
He said the local has already dealt with full-time cuts.
'We lost nine full-time jobs in the parks area in the last round of budget, and it was becoming very clear to us that there were further cuts coming down the road when they said we can't agree to it,' he said.
'So, they must have known there was more cuts coming down the road.'
Kolody feels residents are already seeing the impacts of the cuts.
'The facilities are just not as clean as they were,' said Kolody.
'People are paying money to rent the facilities. I had a caretaker yesterday asking me, I've been given a task for the weekend on a particular day and there's no way possible that I can get this done, what happens to me. Now they're in fear that they can potentially be disciplined and obviously that's not the case.'
He said as it stands right now, the cuts are a done deal.
'We also have the outdoor arenas this group works in,' he said.
'So, with a new outdoor arena set to open this year, I don't know what the impacts are of that and who's going to run them.'
Kolody believes more cuts are cutting.
'Something has to give because we can't have eight people maintaining the community centres, the outdoor arenas, and the indoor arenas in the winter time, it just can't continue,' says Kolody. 'So likely they're going to turn to contracting out and again makes no sense to me because we're already talking about people making just over $19 a hour.'
Staff members that were let go included caretakers that worked in community centres and arenas.
Kolody said the workers were making $19.50 an hour.
In a statement to AM800 News, the city said, 'As this matter pertains to human resources, the City is unable to provide comment in accordance with our established policies and procedures. We appreciate your understanding.'
- Written by Rob Hindi/AM800 News.
