'Enough is enough' says union head as Toronto city workers inch closer to striking

The union that represents some 30,000 city workers in Toronto is one step closer to a strike. 

CUPE Local 79 announced Thursday that the Ministry of Labour has issued them what's called a no board report, signalling that negotiations between the city and the union have stalled. 

It means that CUPE will be in a legal strike position, and the city will be in a legal lockout position, as of 12:01 a.m. on March 8 — putting the two on a 17-day countdown to reach an agreement. 

CUPE Local 79 represents city workers in areas like cleaning, court services, 311, and shelters, referred to by the city as "inside" workers. 

Speaking on Thursday, Mayor Olivia Chow told reporters she's hopeful that the bargaining process will yield results.

"The negotiation continues. The best deal, of course, is through a negotiation," she said. "I really appreciate all those workers." 

In a previous statement Wednesday night, the city said it is awaiting a reply on its latest proposal, which was sent on Monday afternoon. 

"In the event of a labour disruption, the City has contingency plans in place to continue delivering critical services," the statement said, adding that officials would share more details on those plans if necessary. 

90 per cent of workers support strike mandate

The no board report was issued after more than 90 per cent of union members voted in favour of a strike mandate in January.

"We've been understaffed, underpaid, and undervalued for years," wrote CUPE Local 179 president Nas Yadollahi in a press release on Thursday. 

Yadollahi said that months of bargaining have not resulted in a reasonable offer from the city, arguing that low wages have lead to a crisis of both recruitment and retention among city workers.

"This is a fight against a wealthy class that hands itself double-digit raises while telling the rest of us to 'tighten our belts.' Enough is enough," she said. 

Wages have been a critical sticking point in negotiations.

The city had offered union members an increase of nearly 15 per cent over four years, pointing out that the union representing the city's outdoor workers accepted a similar increase in December.

CUPE Local 79 says that's not good enough, pushing for what it calls "living wage" jobs for all its members

The city's most recent public offer, meanwhile, would put 92 per cent of part-time recreation worker hours above minimum wage, compared with 43 per cent last year. 

Tal ha Ahmed, a part-time recreation worker with the city, said at a CUPE press conference that her income has come up short as she tries to put himself through school. 

"Even living at home, my wages weren't enough to keep up with my college expenses," she said. "I had to go and get a second job to get by."