Contract talks to resume this week between Hydro Ottawa and striking workers

The Hydro Ottawa headquarters on Hunt Club Road in Ottawa. (Peter Szperling/CTV News Ottawa)

Contract talks will resume this week between Hydro Ottawa and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, as the strike by approximately 400 employees approaches the end of the 11^th week.

The utility says talks will resume with "non-binding mediation" in a bid to end the strike, after a two-week pause in negotiations.

The union representing Hydro Ottawa workers began strike action on June 28 after workers rejected the utility's contract offer. Talks between the two sides reached an impasse on Aug. 18, and they agreed to enter into non-binding mediation to help resolve outstanding issues.

On Aug. 28, Hydro Ottawa said talks broke down between the two sides. The utility has said it offered the union a cumulative wage increase of 14.74 per cent over four years.

"After providing two additional offers with no willingness on their end to bring our last offer forward to the full membership for a vote, I instructed our negotiating team to pause until the IBEW negotiating team is serious about ending this strike," Hydro Ottawa president and CEO Bryce Conrad said in a statement on Aug. 28.

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 636 says it will also be meeting with Mayor Mark Sutcliffe this week.

Hydro Ottawa says its contingency plans remain in effect during the ongoing strike by the employees to keep the electricity on for homes and businesses.