TTC not making substantial offers in contract talks as deadline looms, union says

TORONTO — The president of a union representing Toronto transit workers says they continue to negotiate in an effort to reach a deal before a looming strike deadline, but the Toronto Transit Commission isn’t offering anything concrete.

ATU Local 113 president Marvin Alfred says the union has been clear about what it wants and the ball is now in the TTC’s court.

He says the union’s nearly 12,000 members will walk out just after midnight if no deal is reached before then, but will make sure people who are using transit at that time can get home without being stranded.

Earlier Thursday, TTC chair Jamaal Myers said the agency and union agreed to keep the service running until 2 a.m. even if there’s a strike “so everyone can get to their destination safely.”

While no deal has been reached at this time, Myers said he’s “encouraged” both sides remain at the bargaining table.

The largest union of city transit workers will be in a legal position to strike just after midnight, raising the prospect of the first Toronto transit strike since 2008.

Alfred had said Wednesday that the two sides were at an “impasse,” suggesting the union’s members were set to strike unless negotiations progressed dramatically.

The two sides have already agreed to continue operating Wheel-Trans, the city’s paratransit service for people with disabilities, if there is job action.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 6, 2024.

The Canadian Press