Both the city and CUPE Local 79 claimed Sunday that the other was responsible for contract talks ending. But with both sides unwilling to force labour disruptions — yet — residents are left hanging on whether to expect a strike or lockout this week, which would affect services like childcare, recreation programs and transit planning.
Meanwhile, the union, which represents more than 20,000 inside workers, said a work-to-rule campaign that limits employees to only their contracted duties will continue Monday.
Mayor John Tory told a news conference in his city hall office that a “fair and equitable” deal was presented to union negotiators through a provincially appointed mediator at 8:30 p.m. Saturday night.
After he said union leaders then dismissed the mediator, effectively ending talks, the city moved to post the terms of the offer online for Local 79 members to see for themselves.
“This about being honest and open and transparent not only with our employees, but also with the public so they can see the state of our negotiations,” Tory told reporters at a news conference in his office Sunday morning.
Local 79’s president Tim Maguire then called that move “disrespectful,” in a separate news conference across the street at the Sheraton Centre Sunday afternoon. He denied the union called off the provincial mediator and said the union is still ready to talk.
“Last night, the city stopped negotiating with Local 79,” Maguire said. “They issued a final offer through their mediator and indicated there was no further movement.”
Maguire said he contacted the mediator to “clarify any misunderstanding.” He also claimed the union had not yet seen some of the terms cited by the media on Sunday, including a “master schedule” that would allow part-time employees to see their shifts for a six-month period.
Documents posted online by the city highlight that provision under “job stability” among other terms including:
- On wages, a cumulative five per cent increase over four years, identical to the offer ratified by Local 416’s outside workers;
- On scheduling, the city is offering to post schedules four weeks in advance instead of two, scheduling a minimum four shifts in a pay period where possible;
- On workplace supports, the city commits to working with the union to improve gender equity in promotions and training, and to support new initiatives to address domestic violence, crisis prevention and response to “critical” incidents;
- On benefits, looks to reduce absenteeism through unspecified changes to the illness and injury plan, restrict prescriptions to generic drugs, reduce long-term disability benefits to 70 per cent and limit use of orthotics to every two years.
A source with knowledge of the negotiations said: “All of the proposals online today are included in the final offer presented to the union last night.”
Tory said he wouldn’t speculate on whether the city is prepared to force a lockout. He said they are welcoming Local 79’s leadership to “reconsider” and “recognize it’s time to make a deal and time to move forward and get back to work.”
He summarized the city’s offer saying it addresses “job stability, health and wellness, gender equity in the workplace, and a reasonable wage increase.”
“At the same time,” Tory said, “the offer allows the city to deploy its workforce effectively and is reflective of the financial reality in which the city finds itself.”
Maguire said they rejected the offer because they believe key issues remain unresolved, including “protecting stable jobs and creating more predictable hours of work for part time workers.”
“The city has not yet addressed these issues,” he said. “Our members are telling us we’re not going to take more concessions in these areas.”
The union is also concerned about the loss of the so-called “jobs for life” provision that protects some workers from losing their jobs to contracting out.
The contract that expired Dec. 31 gave the protection to full-time permanent workers with more than 15 years’ service.
The city’s offer, which is in the deal ratified by the outside workers in Local 416 on Friday, would protect the jobs of workers with more than 15 years’ service in 2019 — nobody else would ever get it. City council is to meet Monday to vote on whether to approve that Local 416 contract.
Local 79 members have been on a work to rule campaign since last Monday, which includes childcare and shelter workers, nurses, cleaners and planners.
Only Local 79 members in long-term care homes and ambulance dispatchers would not be allowed to participate in a strike or lockout.
The union has four bargaining units, some of them part-time and some full-time. Members who could go off the job in case of a lockout or walkout include:
- Licensing, permits and tax collection staff;
- City-run daycare staff;
- 311 staff;
- Some recreation centre staff, including “lead hands” at ice rinks;
- Water inspectors, chemists in water and sewage treatment, quality control inspectors;
- Public health nurses and inspectors including those checking food safety in restaurants;
- Building inspectors;
- Planning staff in environment, urban forestry, transportation and urban design;
- Social services caseworkers and support staff in shelters, long-term care and social development;
- Dieticians in public health, shelters and long-term care;
- Shelter staff including those doing homeless outreach and family support;
- Traffic field investigators and highway maintenance patrols.
Original Article
Source: thestar.com/
Author: Jennifer Pagliaro, David Rider
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