Kamloops recycling strike could be over as early as Friday

KAMLOOPS – There is finally an end in sight to the Emterra Environmental strike.

Steelworks Union president Marty Gibbons says they are finally back to bargaining with the company and if an agreement is signed by noon tomorrow his members could be back to work as early as Friday.

“We're optimistic that we're close to a deal,” he says.

Gibbons would not say when talks began, but did indicate it was sometime this week.

Emterra Environmental and its employees have been in a labour dispute since June 22. The company holds a contract to sort the City of Kamloops’ recycling and as a result curbside pick-up ceased when the strike began.

Gibbons says the union has asked the company for a living wage increase but the company has said it couldn’t afford it. Negotiations were at a stalemate roughly two weeks into the strike and as of the five week mark, the two parties were still not at the bargaining table.

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