City wants deadlock declared in contract talks, strike or lockout looms

The City of Toronto is asking a provincial mediator to declare a deadlock in its contract talks with unionized staff — a step closer to a winter lockout or strike.

Councillor Doug Holyday confirmed the move in an interview Thursday.

“I guess we weren’t getting any co-operation” in ongoing talks, Holyday said shortly before Mayor Rob Ford held a news conference to discuss the move in his City Hall office.

“I guess it’s just another step in the process. Hopefully it will get the two sides together.”

Contracts for about 32,000 City of Toronto workers in four unions expired New Year’s Day.

A city-requested provincial mediator started meeting with negotiators for the city and CUPE Local 416, representing 6,000 outside workers, on Monday. Earlier talks had broken down in mid-December.

The two sides met again this week and discussed bargaining dates, but the city now says no progress is being made.

If mediator Denise Small agrees and Ontario Labour Minister Linda Jeffrey issues what is called a “no board” report, 17 days after the day on that report the city can legally lock out the workers and the workers can legally strike.

The Ford administration is adamant the union give up safeguards ensuring any permanent employee made redundant by contracting out, or technological innovation, be found another job in the civil service.

CUPE 416 president Mark Ferguson is equally adamant workers won’t give up the hard-won job protection or other concessions being sought by the city, fuelling fears of a winter lockout or strike.

Earlier this month, Holyday told the Star the Ford administration believes that, if a work disruption is inevitable, it should happen soon, in the winter, rather than the summer when rotting garbage will stink up the tourist season.

Talks are ongoing between the city and CUPE Local 79, representing 23,000 inside workers, and are expected to start soon with the 2,300-member Toronto Public Library Workers Union.

Original Article
Source: Star 

Caterpillar and Rio Tinto lockouts force unions into underdog fight against global capital

In Alma, Quebec, and London, Ontario, workers are standing together on picket lines against the cold and winds of January. They have strong unions and solidarity to raise their spirits -- but these workers are underdogs against massive economic power and the ruthless force of global capital.

How it goes for them will shape economic outcomes for many other Canadians.  But not just labour relations hang in the breach of these first labour battles of 2012.  The reaction to these conflicts by Canadians will set a tone for the social and political climate well beyond this “Winter of Discontent.” 

In both cases these fights are picked by the employer -- lockouts.  Perhaps not so coincidentally, they throw down the same challenge to Canadian labour.  They are each foreign owned global corporations with a history of confronting and breaking union power, and their lock outs are to force substantial concessions that will result in lower wages and lesser benefits.

Significantly, these two situations are also linked because each foreign owner recently purchased the Canadian operations and required approval from the Harper government that their acquisition was in the Canadian interest.

Councillor wants to deny Ford lockout power

As the city begins negotiating new collective agreements with its workers, a council opponent of Mayor Rob Ford is trying to make it harder for the mayor to lock workers out if bargaining falters.

City negotiators are expected to adopt a tough bargaining stance under Ford. Councillor John Filion, citing widespread “rumours,” said he was concerned the mayor “might be planning to do something impulsive” if left unchecked.

Filion’s proposal would require any lockout to be approved by council. At present, the labour relations committee, which is dominated by Ford allies, can direct the city to keep workers off the job on its own.

“I think most residents of the city would be alarmed to know that, as the rules now stand, an impulsive mayor could shut down the city without ever coming to council,” Filion said.

Mark Ferguson, president of Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 416, which represents outdoor workers, said a “very highly placed individual” had confirmed to him that Ford plans a lockout.