City of Toronto unveils plans for potential labour disruption with inside workers

Just days after ratifying a deal to avoid a work-stoppage with its unionized outside workers, the City of Toronto unveiled its plans to deal with potential job action from its inside workers.

Around 24,000 city employees who are members of CUPE Local 79 could legally go on strike or be locked out by the city as early as 12:01 a.m. this Saturday.

Members of the union, which includes city planners, recreation staff, and public health employees, have been without a contract since the end of 2019. A labour disruption could be very disruptive not only to city licensing operations, but could leave many parents scrambling.

Local 79 requested a no-board report on Feb. 21, after meeting with a conciliation officer provided by the province. The 17-day countdown issued by the Ministry of Labour runs out this weekend.

While both sides are legally allowed to continue bargaining past the deadline, the threat of a potential labour disruption prompted the city to reveal how it would handle one.

The city is acknowledging that a labour disruption could be very disruptive, especially for parents. In the event of a work stoppage, all city operated early learning and child care facilities would be closed. That would see the parents of approximately 2,000 children forced to make alternate plans.

The potential for the work stoppage is coming on the eve of March Break, which would also have a big impact. All city programming and camps would be cancelled and all city rec centres, pools, outdoor ice rinks, and fitness centres would be closed.

City Manager Chris Murray said that while Local 79 includes Toronto Public Health (TPH) workers, the agency’s critical operations would not be affected. This includes infectious disease monitoring and the city’s COVID-19 response.

But non-essential TPH operations will be suspended, including sexual health clinics and DineSafe inspections. However, Althea Hutchinson TPH’s Director of Finance and Administration, clarified that inspectors will still respond to DineSafe complaints.

Murray said in the event of a work stoppage, bylaw operations and licence permits will also be affected. Only emergency building permits connected to large-scale public infrastructure projects will be issued. Issuing event permits would also be suspended and those already issued at city properties would be cancelled.

Like the city’s negotiations with Local 416, the major issues with Local 79’s talks include job security, wages, benefits, and parental leave.

City Council voted to ratify CUPE Local 416’s new contract on Friday. Despite a hardline approach against so-called “jobs for life” from Mayor John Tory, the new contract included city concessions to allow job security. Full-time staff with 15 years of experience by the end of the new contract (Dec. 31, 2024), will have protections from job loss due to the contracting out of work.

In a statement, Mayor Tory said he remains hopeful an agreement could be made that is fair to both Local 79’s workers, as well as city residents.

1:18 City of Toronto, CUPE Local 416 agree to extend work stoppage deadline

“The City’s bargaining team has been at the bargaining table with Local 79 since December, including throughout this past weekend, and will remain at the table this week,” said Tory in the statement.

CUPE Local 79 responded to news of the contingency plan in a statement Monday.

“The best possible contingency plan is to negotiate a fair contract,” said Dave Mitchell, president of Local 79.

“Our focus remains on doing the work necessary to conclude negotiations without a labour disruption, but time is running out. … No contingency plan will address the uncertainty families are feeling about their March Break planning, and no contingency plan will meaningfully address the crucial issues City leadership and our members need to confront in weeks to come.”

The city’s unionized library workers with CUPE Local 4948 have also been without a contract since the end of last year. So far, talks have continued between both sides without any request for a no-board report.