Ontario engineers begin strike after 20 months with no contract

Key Takeaways:

• For the first time in 35 years, the Professional Engineers Government of Ontario (PEGO) will take legal strike action after 20 months without a contract or a fair offer from the Ontario government.
• The strike is expected to affect Ontario’s ability to deliver and manage key infrastructure projects, including major highway expansions and the maintenance of existing infrastructure, as PEGO members oversee $185 billion in infrastructure development.
• PEGO members earn significantly less (30% to 50%) than engineers in other sectors, leading to critical recruitment and retention challenges, which could delay key government projects such as Highway 413, the Bradford Bypass, and expansions in Northern Ontario.

The Whole Story:

For the first time in its 35-year history, the Professional Engineers Government of Ontario (PEGO), the certified bargaining association representing Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors employed by the Ontario Public Service (OPS), will take legal strike action.

PEGO says the strike is in response to 20 months without a contract or a fair offer by the Treasury Board of the Government of Ontario.

PEGO-represented engineering and land surveying experts work in eleven ministries/agencies and perform project management, oversight and enforcement roles related to the provincial highway network, the Ontario Building Code, land surveying, fire safety, food and workplace safety, clean air, and safe drinking water. 

In addition to working on the government’s $185 billion dollar infrastructure building plans, PEGO members also oversee the maintenance of more than $85 billion dollars worth of already existing public infrastructure in Ontario including the 400 series highways. PEGO and the Treasury Board have in place an agreement as to the maintenance of essential and emergency services during a legal strike.

This strike will begin on Oct. 8 with PEGO members initiating a work-to-rule campaign. Subsequent escalation could include strategic withdrawals of labour by certain groups of employees in the PEGO bargaining unit for limited time periods.  

PEGO expects the labour dispute will impact the government’s ability to advance and deliver on key infrastructure commitments and to manage existing infrastructure and operations. PEGO officials stated that the action taken by PEGO members will be “responsible and targeted”.

“We are engineers and surveyors, we want to be building. We want to support Ontario’s ambitious infrastructure building agenda, but adequate engineering resources need to be available to deliver on it,” said PEGO President, Nihar Bhatt, P.Eng.

“These past 20 months without a contract have been exasperating because we have no time to waste, as we have watched colleague after colleague leave the public service for significantly higher compensation elsewhere thus depriving the government of the expertise it needs to deliver on its agenda.  We just can’t understand why the Treasury Board negotiators has been so slow to recognize that there is a problem, despite having the data and hearing from their own managers over and over again about this problem.  For nearly 16 months at the bargaining table, PEGO has presented offers and solutions that will help deliver the government’s agenda and ensure that the engineering resources are in place to ‘get it done’.”

PEGO stated that its members have been stretched to the breaking point. An analysis of the comparator market shows that PEGO members earn 30% to 50% less than they could earn in the broad Ontario market working for municipalities, other government agencies or the private sector.

Officials noted that PEGO members often write standards, direct the work and exercise oversight of professionals in these comparator employers. As such, recruitment and retention of engineering and land surveying experts have become key issues at the bargaining table. They believe mounting vacancies have now become critical and could result in significant project impacts and delays on key priorities of the government, including Highway 413, the Bradford Bypass and overdue expansion of highways in Northern Ontario.

“PEGO remains hopeful that a settlement can be reached and calls on the Premier to get his officials to the bargaining table with a fair offer that keeps Ontario’s infrastructure agenda on track,” said the group.