Unionized Bluewater Bridge workers replaced with private contractor

Trucks cross the Bluewater Bridge between Sarnia, Ont., and Port Huron, Mich., Sunday, Aug. 15, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Geoff Robins

Nearly a dozen employees at Sarnia’s Bluewater Bridge are out of the job.

According to a release from the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), unionized custodial employees at the Bluewater Bridge in Sarnia have been replaced with a private contractor, GDI Integrated Facility Services (GDI).

A collective agreement between the Federal Bridge Corporation Limited (FBCL) and PSAC Local 501 dated Nov. 7, 2023 compensated custodial staff between $22.56/hour and $28.26/hour depending on years of experience (with additional increases available following that maximum).

Hiring a contractor also means that the FBCL will not have to cover leaves of absence, sick leave, benefits and other premiums out of pocket.

GDI is an international cleaning company with offices across Canada and the United States that provides services ranging from building management, to disinfection services, to office cleaning services.

“These workers weren’t replaced because the work disappeared. They were replaced because FBCL chose to contract it out,” reads a statement from PSAC. “At a time when families are facing rising costs and economic uncertainty, secure employment has never been more important. When employers contract out bargaining unit work instead of retaining unionized employees, they undermine collective bargaining and weaken the workplace protections workers have fought to secure.”

CTV News has reached out to the Federal Bridge Corporation Limited for comment, but has not heard back as of publishing.