The union representing 30,000 City of Toronto workers have requested a “No Board Report” in its ongoing negotiations, bringing it closer to a possible strike or lockout deadline.
CUPE Local 79 voted overwhelmingly in favour of a strike mandate last month, citing “a crisis in retention and recruitment after nearly two decades of austerity and underinvestment” and highlighted Toronto’s emergency and ambulance services, saying several employees have been forced to leave “in droves” due to burnout and being underpaid.
The sectors under the City include public health, planning, City Hall operations, employment and social services, ambulance dispatch, child care, and 311, among others.
A “No Board Report” from the Ministry of Labour indicates that negotiations have stalled. Once issued—usually within five days—CUPE Local 79 will be legally permitted to strike or face a lockout 17 days later.
“City workers have had enough,” CUPE Local 79 President Nas Yadollahi said. “After years of being overworked, understaffed, and underpaid, we refuse to accept a deal that keeps us falling further behind. We are prepared to stand up for what we deserve and won’t back down.”
In addition to seeking fair wages, the union said its members want an “end to mismanagement, an end to the City being a minimum wage employer and an end to the many staffing crises facing divisions across the City.”
“This fight is about fairness,” added Yadollahi. “Torontonians support a fair deal for City workers because they know our work is essential and that the cost of living in our city is very high. The City needs to listen—not just to us, but to the people who rely on our services every day.”
