Women trapped in elevator after supporting striking elevator workers
11 women found themselves trapped in an elevator Thursday evening, hours after marching in support of striking elevator workers.
OTTAWA — Eleven women found themselves trapped in an elevator at a downtown Ottawa hotel Thursday evening, hours after marching in support of striking elevator workers.
The women, in town to attend a women’s conference being held by the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada, joined workers from the striking International Union of Elevator Constructors at a noon hour march. Around 5 p.m., the women were in an elevator at the Delta hotel on Lyon Street when it got stuck.
They were trapped in the cramped, hot elevator for about 45 minutes before being rescued by emergency crews, said CEP national president Dave Coles.
Two women were treated by paramedics after being rescued, one because her blood pressure had dropped and the other for heat stroke-like symptoms, Coles said. Neither woman was taken to hospital.
“This is not funny stuff, to get stuck in the elevator,” Coles said.
Elevator workers have been on strike since May 1 after failing to reach an agreement with Kone, Otis, Schindler and ThyssenKrupp, the four major elevator companies in the province.
Dan Vinette, business manager for Local 96, which represents Ottawa-, Kingston-and Gatineau-area union members, said there are people across the province getting stuck that shouldn’t be getting stuck.
“Safety of Ontarians all over the province, I find, has been diminished by theses actions.”
Vinette said the union has been making efforts to get back to work, but hasn’t been able to come to an agreement.
“We’ve offered options to the employer but they seem bent on keeping the strike going.”
There have been many incidences of people getting stuck in elevators during the job action, Vinette said. The union is asking people to go to elevatorsafety.ca to report problems with elevators. Those reports are passed to the Technical Standards and Safety Authority on a daily basis, Vinette said.
Source: www.ottawacitizen.com/business/Women+trapped+elevator+after+supporting+striking+elevator+workers/8562206/story.html
11 women found themselves trapped in an elevator Thursday evening, hours after marching in support of striking elevator workers.
OTTAWA — Eleven women found themselves trapped in an elevator at a downtown Ottawa hotel Thursday evening, hours after marching in support of striking elevator workers.
The women, in town to attend a women’s conference being held by the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada, joined workers from the striking International Union of Elevator Constructors at a noon hour march. Around 5 p.m., the women were in an elevator at the Delta hotel on Lyon Street when it got stuck.
They were trapped in the cramped, hot elevator for about 45 minutes before being rescued by emergency crews, said CEP national president Dave Coles.
Two women were treated by paramedics after being rescued, one because her blood pressure had dropped and the other for heat stroke-like symptoms, Coles said. Neither woman was taken to hospital.
“This is not funny stuff, to get stuck in the elevator,” Coles said.
Elevator workers have been on strike since May 1 after failing to reach an agreement with Kone, Otis, Schindler and ThyssenKrupp, the four major elevator companies in the province.
Dan Vinette, business manager for Local 96, which represents Ottawa-, Kingston-and Gatineau-area union members, said there are people across the province getting stuck that shouldn’t be getting stuck.
“Safety of Ontarians all over the province, I find, has been diminished by theses actions.”
Vinette said the union has been making efforts to get back to work, but hasn’t been able to come to an agreement.
“We’ve offered options to the employer but they seem bent on keeping the strike going.”
There have been many incidences of people getting stuck in elevators during the job action, Vinette said. The union is asking people to go to elevatorsafety.ca to report problems with elevators. Those reports are passed to the Technical Standards and Safety Authority on a daily basis, Vinette said.
Source: www.ottawacitizen.com/business/Women+trapped+elevator+after+supporting+striking+elevator+workers/8562206/story.html