>>2014718Read the fine print. While the companies are planning to end the lockout, the union still has the right to strike, unless they recall the legislature (it's summer break) and pass back-to-work legislation.
The labour minister basically wrote a letter to the CIRB saying, "please impose binding arbitration. Pretty please..."
Though the union is probably in a pretty good position at the interest arbitration table. The employers lined up the bargaining dates into the same year. They proved a work stoppage would result in an indefinite shutdown of the economy. Inflation is on the record as being very high. There are tons of examples of private sector unions scoring big wins in contract negotiations since the pandemic.
I don't know what the companies are hoping for at the arbitration table other than, "we hope CIRB is literally crooked and biased towards us." Maybe the C-suite is just trying to avoid getting eaten alive by the board for losing so badly at negotiations? "It was out of our hands! The arbitrator ruled against us!"
