The clock is now ticking toward a strike deadline for Toronto’s 23,000 inside workers as early as March 25.On Thursday, Ontario’s labour ministry issued a no-board report which means a strike or lockout can legally happen 17 days from now.
The city’s request for the no-board — signaling bargaining was at an impasse — was criticized by the Canadian Union of Public Employees on the basis that city negotiators were dragging their feet at the table.
Talks have been under way for about 12 weeks now. The inside workers, members of CUPE Local 79, have been without a contract since Dec. 31.
“The presence or absence of a no-board doesn’t change the fact that we’re going to have to bargain a deal,” said CUPE spokesperson Cim Nunn.
“It’s in everybody’s best interests to have a negotiated settlement. At the 79 bargaining table, there’s been a lot of people on the other side of the table with their arms crossed, saying ‘Okay you’ve got our offer.’ There’s not a lot of real bargaining happening.”
While Deputy Mayor Doug Holyday said the no-board sharpens the focus and promotes serious bargaining, Nunn said “it works both ways. We now have a specific deadline but it still requires two people to make this dance work.”
Holyday said Thursday that he was optimistic that the talks will lead to a deal.
If a labour disruption were to happen, it would not be quite as disruptive as a garbage strike, he said. That threat disappeared when outside workers in CUPE Local 416 reached a deal Feb. 5.
Holyday noted city-run day care centres would close and building permits would be issued. While that would cause problems for many people, it wouldn’t have the city wide impact of garbage piling up uncollected.
“Certainly people would be inconvenienced by a labour disruption, but it wouldn’t be in the same way as if 416 were involved,” he said.
The inside workers were prepared for a bargaining session Thursday night, Nunn said, adding he hoped progress would begin to happen.
Local 79 has highlighted the fact that 10,000 of its 23,000 members are part-timers struggling to obtain enough hours of work to make ends meet.
The city wants to control shift schedules which workers worry could mean a loss of hours.
Meaghan Tanaka, a part-time lifeguard for the past 15 years, said the city inaccurately paints part-timers as students looking for a little extra money for books and beers.
“There are many, many employees that are dedicated and come back year after year,” Tanaka said. “They’re in their 20s, they’re in their 30s, and they’re paying rent, they’re paying mortgages, they’re paying utilities.”
“If scheduling (by seniority) is eliminated, that leaves me at the mercy of supervisors who can arbitrarily decide who to give shifts to.”
Similar concerns have been raised by 2,300 library workers in CUPE Local 4948, who face a strike/lockout deadline of 12:01 a.m. March 18.
Inside workers services
Services affected in the event of a labour disruption involving the city’s 23,000 inside workers. (Based on what happened during the 39-day strike in 2009).
• Council and committee meetings cancelled. Includes committee of adjustment.
• Building permits cancelled. No applications for a building permit will be received, processed or issued. No preliminary staff review of applications and no building inspections will take place during the disruption.
• No rezoning applications will be processed. All committee of adjustment hearings cancelled.
• All 57 city run child-care centres closed.
• Welfare. Clients continue to receive cheques or direct deposit of benefits. Case workers not available. Three welfare offices open for emergency financial assistance only.
• Parking tags. Payment deadlines will not be extended. People can pay online, by mail or phone.
• Property taxes. No extension of payment deadlines. Pay by mail or at a bank.
• Access to City Hall, Metro Hall and civic centres in North York, York and Scarborough limited to ground floor only weekdays 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Citizens may have to cross picket lines to meet with a city official. Access to underground parking may be delayed by picketing. Citizens can drop off documents, obtain a marriage licence and register births and deaths. Tours cancelled.
• Wedding ceremonies continue at City Hall Monday to Saturday.
• East York and Etobicoke Civic Centres closed.
• Events on Nathan Phillips Square, Metro Square and other civic squares cancelled.
• Parks. Permits for parks, tennis courts, sports fields cancelled. In person recreation programming cancelled, including camps, classes, drop-ins, clubs, walking tours.
• Community centres, swimming pools, arenas, golf course and wading pools closed. (Arenas and community centres run by their own community boards remain open).
• City-run museums closed.
• Parking permits will not be issued.
• Public health continues to respond to disease, food poisoning outbreaks, rabies, emergency dental service. Other public health programs cancelled.
Original Article
Source: Star
Author: Paul Moloney
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