本文发表在 rolia.net 枫下论坛City workers set to walk at noon
Union officials says sides far apart, hopeful of further meeting
By Bruce DeMara
city hall bureau
Toronto Star
City workers pick up garbage on Woodfield St. in east Toronto in this file image from October 5, 2000.
RELATED LINKS
Summary of affected services
City contingency plans
The union representing garbage collectors, paramedics and outside workers say noon remains the deadline to reach a settlement with the city and avert a strike. At an 8 a.m. press conference, a union official said the two sides remain far apart but they hoped to meet with city officials, including Mayor Mel Lastman, some time this morning.
"As it stands, the parties remain quite far apart on the major issues - the situation remains grim," union representative Andrea Addario said this morning.
"But we're here until 12 (noon)," she added.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees had been in a marathon bargaining session with the city that went long past a strike deadline of early Monday. The union said workers, who remained on the job today, would walk by noon today if a deal was not reached.
Last night, there were indications from both camps suggesting progress was being made to avert a strike that would mean the cancellation of curbside waste collection in most of Toronto. As well, parks and recreation programs would be shut down, island ferry services would be cancelled and paramedic service would be reduced.
The city has said the union was demanding a 22 per cent increase in its total compensation package, which the city could not afford to pay.
Ootes said the 22 per cent figure includes a 361/27 per cent wage increase for each of three years - the city is offering three per cent - and $24 million in enhancements to existing benefits.
But the union has said the deal is being held up by negotiations on other issues, especially employment security, layoff and recall rights, and seniority rights.
"It's not about money and it remains not about money," Addario said this morning.
"We are prepared to work through this thing in goodwill and we think we've shown enormous good faith here. But if there is no deal by noon (today), we are on the march. We made that absolutely clear. Whether we are this close or that far, we are on the march," said Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 416 president Brian Cochrane, representing 6,800 workers.
He said the job security issue is still outstanding. The city's offer is "still not acceptable to us," Cochrane told a news conference late last night.
Mayor Mel Lastman, Deputy Mayor Case Ootes (Ward 29, Toronto-Danforth) and chief administrative officer Shirley Hoy met yesterday morning with Cochrane and members of his negotiating team, another sign of thawing relations.
Lastman — who a day earlier suggested union members should go on strike if they thought they could wrest more than a 9 per cent raise over three years from the city — said he believed it was possible to reach a deal by the deadline, or even sooner.
"We're going to work hard to try and get a deal by noon (today)," Lastman said last night.
"We are negotiating. I have had myself checked into the hotel, and I hope we can make a deal by either late tonight or early (today)," he added.
Lastman said "a lot of progress" has been made in recent days after Local 416 decided to continue negotiating past its deadline at 12:01 a.m. Monday.
"I'm happy with the deadline. I think there should be a deadline. I like the idea of a deadline because it can help.
"Both sides are working hard to try and both sides have to budge and both sides have to move to make a deal," he said.
But Cochrane also indicated the union's frustration at the slow pace of bargaining, particularly on major issues like job security.
On the issue of money, both sides are relatively close. The union is asking for 3.5 per cent annually over the three-year contract. But Cochrane has repeatedly said that both sides are so close, the difference would not stand in the way of a contract.
Early yesterday, the union tabled its latest offer to the city.
The city returned a counter-offer late yesterday afternoon, continuing the back-and-forth process which has taken place over the last three days.
Toronto parks and recreation commissioner Joe Halstead has said 60,000 to 70,000 children and youth would be affected if parks and rec programs are cancelled in the event of a strike.
Organizers of Pride Week activities have also been scrambling to deal with litter and street clean-up issues, according to Kyle Knoeck, co-chair of the committee which oversees the week of activities culminating in next Sunday's Pride Parade. The annual event already has a difficult time recruiting volunteers, Knoeck said.
The Celebrate Toronto street festival from July 5 to 7 would be cancelled in the event of a strike.更多精彩文章及讨论，请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net
Union officials says sides far apart, hopeful of further meeting
By Bruce DeMara
city hall bureau
Toronto Star
City workers pick up garbage on Woodfield St. in east Toronto in this file image from October 5, 2000.
RELATED LINKS
Summary of affected services
City contingency plans
The union representing garbage collectors, paramedics and outside workers say noon remains the deadline to reach a settlement with the city and avert a strike. At an 8 a.m. press conference, a union official said the two sides remain far apart but they hoped to meet with city officials, including Mayor Mel Lastman, some time this morning.
"As it stands, the parties remain quite far apart on the major issues - the situation remains grim," union representative Andrea Addario said this morning.
"But we're here until 12 (noon)," she added.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees had been in a marathon bargaining session with the city that went long past a strike deadline of early Monday. The union said workers, who remained on the job today, would walk by noon today if a deal was not reached.
Last night, there were indications from both camps suggesting progress was being made to avert a strike that would mean the cancellation of curbside waste collection in most of Toronto. As well, parks and recreation programs would be shut down, island ferry services would be cancelled and paramedic service would be reduced.
The city has said the union was demanding a 22 per cent increase in its total compensation package, which the city could not afford to pay.
Ootes said the 22 per cent figure includes a 361/27 per cent wage increase for each of three years - the city is offering three per cent - and $24 million in enhancements to existing benefits.
But the union has said the deal is being held up by negotiations on other issues, especially employment security, layoff and recall rights, and seniority rights.
"It's not about money and it remains not about money," Addario said this morning.
"We are prepared to work through this thing in goodwill and we think we've shown enormous good faith here. But if there is no deal by noon (today), we are on the march. We made that absolutely clear. Whether we are this close or that far, we are on the march," said Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 416 president Brian Cochrane, representing 6,800 workers.
He said the job security issue is still outstanding. The city's offer is "still not acceptable to us," Cochrane told a news conference late last night.
Mayor Mel Lastman, Deputy Mayor Case Ootes (Ward 29, Toronto-Danforth) and chief administrative officer Shirley Hoy met yesterday morning with Cochrane and members of his negotiating team, another sign of thawing relations.
Lastman — who a day earlier suggested union members should go on strike if they thought they could wrest more than a 9 per cent raise over three years from the city — said he believed it was possible to reach a deal by the deadline, or even sooner.
"We're going to work hard to try and get a deal by noon (today)," Lastman said last night.
"We are negotiating. I have had myself checked into the hotel, and I hope we can make a deal by either late tonight or early (today)," he added.
Lastman said "a lot of progress" has been made in recent days after Local 416 decided to continue negotiating past its deadline at 12:01 a.m. Monday.
"I'm happy with the deadline. I think there should be a deadline. I like the idea of a deadline because it can help.
"Both sides are working hard to try and both sides have to budge and both sides have to move to make a deal," he said.
But Cochrane also indicated the union's frustration at the slow pace of bargaining, particularly on major issues like job security.
On the issue of money, both sides are relatively close. The union is asking for 3.5 per cent annually over the three-year contract. But Cochrane has repeatedly said that both sides are so close, the difference would not stand in the way of a contract.
Early yesterday, the union tabled its latest offer to the city.
The city returned a counter-offer late yesterday afternoon, continuing the back-and-forth process which has taken place over the last three days.
Toronto parks and recreation commissioner Joe Halstead has said 60,000 to 70,000 children and youth would be affected if parks and rec programs are cancelled in the event of a strike.
Organizers of Pride Week activities have also been scrambling to deal with litter and street clean-up issues, according to Kyle Knoeck, co-chair of the committee which oversees the week of activities culminating in next Sunday's Pride Parade. The annual event already has a difficult time recruiting volunteers, Knoeck said.
The Celebrate Toronto street festival from July 5 to 7 would be cancelled in the event of a strike.更多精彩文章及讨论，请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net