More than 800 nuclear scientists and engineers at Canadian Nuclear Laboratories have suspended their strike after reaching a tentative deal with their employer, ending a rare walkout that disrupted key nuclear safety and research functions.
The Chalk River Professional Employees Group (CRPEG), represented by the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC), struck the agreement with CNL on June 27. Strike action was paused while members vote on the deal, with ratification expected on July 8.
The proposed agreement follows 17 months of negotiations and includes a 10.5 per cent pay increase over three years, a $1,700 lump sum payment, and an increase in benefits funding from $1.75 million to $2 million for all CNL staff.
“Our members stood together and showed the power of organized labour,” said CRPEG president Jonathan Fitzpatrick. “This tentative agreement demonstrates what workers can achieve when they unite for fair treatment and recognition of their professional value.”
First PIPSC strike in over 30 years
CRPEG members launched a five-day strike on May 26 and resumed picketing on June 23 after rejecting a previous settlement offer. It marked the first strike by PIPSC in more than three decades.
The labour action halted operations at the tritium facility, interrupted reactor surveillance, delayed commercial projects and affected regulatory compliance.
The union said its members play a vital role in ensuring nuclear reactor safety, managing radioactive waste, and advancing nuclear medicine research.
Unfair labour practice complaint
While vacation leave has been reinstated, an unfair labour practice complaint over CNL’s cancellation of pre-approved vacation is still under review by the Canada Industrial Relations Board.
“Despite facing surveillance intimidation tactics and cancellation of vacation leave, CRPEG members stayed strong and professional,” said PIPSC president Sean O’Reilly.
The previous collective agreement expired on Dec. 31, 2023.
