Toronto city workers begin voting on strike mandate today

Toronto's two biggest municipal union localsareaskingtheir members to support a strike should ongoing contract negotiationswith the city gosour.

In aletter to members, the leadership of CanadianUnion of Public Employees (CUPE)Local 79 says support is needed"for a strike mandate that includes a whole range of actions to push back the city's concessions."

The letter adds that the city is proposingcontracts thatwill leave members "threatened with more cuts, all to help pay for the city's financial mismanagement."

CUPELocal 79 members will decide whether to give leadership a strike mandate on Saturday while CUPE Local 416 members will vote next Tuesday and Wednesday.

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Contracts with CUPELocal416, which represents 6,000 of the city's outside workers, and CUPELocal79, representing 20,000 inside workers, both expired on Dec. 31.

Theissues for the union, according to CUPE79, are the following:

• Deeper cuts to sick pay and benefits compared to other city employee groups.
• Even less stability in shifts and hours of work.
• More members stuck in part-time jobs with little chance to move to full-time.
• More full-time jobs turned into part-time jobs, with fewer benefits.

The city has refused to publicly discuss the negotiations andhas already sought an outside conciliator to help move along its negotiations with CUPE 416.

Union leadership is now asking its members for permission to carry the weight of a potential strike to the bargaining table.

"Thereis a concern that they may try an aggressive approach so we are very eager to sit down and talk to members and ensure they are engaged in the process," saidCUPE's Katrina Miller.

However, seeking a strike mandate doesn't mean a strike is imminent.A formal impasse that would set the clock ticking on a possible work stoppageis still weeks away.

"Astrike mandate beingsought by unions is a standard part of the collective bargaining process," said Mayor JohnTory.

Strike is 'last resort'

Tory recognizes this round of negotiations will be difficult. The firstterm mayor is wrestling with a number of initiatives that continue to putgreat pressure on the city's capital and operating budgets.

"We have some realities we haveto facehere atthe city hall with respect to finances." Tory said. "Those are the thingsthat come up atthebargaining table."

At the same time, both sides say theywant a deal and nobody wants to be associated with a possible lockout or strike.

"It's always our last resort," said Miller."Right now, we don't see that in our future.What [we] see is our goal of bargaining a fair deal," she added.

"This mayor as well will be impacted if there is a strike, there is no doubt about that," saidCoun. Janet Davis, a member of the city's employee and labour relations committee. "SoI'm sure Mayor Tory will be looking to negotiate and reach settlements with our unions."