The Thunder Bay Public Library (TBPL) has cancelled its final election event.

A planned forum for candidates running for mayor was supposed to be hosted at County Park Library, but was called off due to the beginning of a strike by TBPL employees.

Two weeks ago the library’s workers alerted the public to a potential strike: they explained that the TBPL and its employees were struggling to come to a deal due to several asks by the library, including layoffs for 20 employees, reducing sick days and vacation days, and the introduction of benefit co-pays.

At a meet-and-greet for the city’s Councillor At Large candidates at County Park Library on Wednesday, tensions between the library’s employees and staff reached a boiling point, as representatives for the employees announced the imminent strike during the event, and accused TBPL CEO Richard Togman of walking out on negotiations.

A Facebook video from CUPE Local 3120 and 8718 shows the culmination of the dispute:

An agreement was not reached, and a strike was initiated at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday.

Library workers are now picketing outside of Mary JL Black Library and Waverly Library.

Following Wednesday’s events, mayoral candidate Moe Comuzzi on Thursday morning called for the forum to be postponed while collective bargaining takes place.

TBPL CEO Richard Togman released a statement explaining that the forum would be cancelled “Out of respect for our striking staff:”

“We understand the toll that any trike has on Library staff and the public and wish to avoid creating any unintentional areas of conflict. While we are disappointed in not being able to provide this important democratic role for the community, our first priority is to come to a fair compromise with our workers, acknowledging that concessions will have to be made on both sides. Our focus and efforts will be put to that direction while working to maintain basic library services for the community.”