Ontario Ombuds Facing Potential Strike

The 60 unionized staff of the Ontario Ombudsman office have voted 98 per cent in favor of a strike that could cripple the agency. Negotiations with the Canadian Office and Professional Employees Union broke down over demands for a longer work week and the loss of five guaranteed days off in exchange for paid overtime. The union contract expired on March 31, 2007. The vote authorizes a work stoppage as early as February 18. (Toronto Star.)

Organizational ombuds should take the opportunity to consider how they would act if labor unrest threatened the function of their office.