All early learning and child care centres would close, and programming at all City recreation centres, including March Break camps, would be cancelled in the event of a labour disruption involving the City’s 27,000 inside workers, the City of Toronto outlined Friday.
Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 79, which represents the workers, will be in a legal strike position, and the City in a legal lockout position, at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, March 8.
The City’s 39 childcare centres would be closed in the event of a work stoppage, meaning 1,600 children in Toronto would be without childcare, leaving parents scrambling for alternatives.
The City says refunds will be issued for any paid recreation programs that are affected, and clients will not be charged for days that City-operated child care centres are closed.
“The City will remain prepared to respond to emergencies if a labour disruption occurs,” a City of Toronto release outlines. “Emergency response by the Toronto Police Service, Toronto Fire Services and Toronto Paramedic Services will not be impacted. The Toronto Community Crisis Service will operate normally. Winter maintenance operations for roads and sidewalks will continue.”
Also unaffected are senior services, long-term care and the TTC.
“Toronto Community Housing and Toronto Water operations will continue during a labour disruption,” the City added. “All City-operated and funded shelters, 24-hour respite and drop-in programs will remain open. The City will continue to activate additional services during colder temperatures, including Warming Centres.”
All court proceedings will also continue. If you have a trial date, you are still required to show up in court.
The two sides have been bargaining since December 2024 and the City says it “remains committed to negotiating a new collective agreement that reflects the important work of City employees while also providing value for money for Toronto residents and businesses.”
The City has offered workers an increase of nearly 15 per cent over four years and points out a similar increase was accepted by outside workers back in December.
The union held information pickets at several locations on Friday, saying that while it may seem like a wage issue, it is really about the crisis when it comes to retention and recruitment.
“We are very far apart when it comes to the main issues, which is wages,” said CUPE Local president Nas Yadollahi, adding their proposals are in line with other contracts the City has signed with other unions.
“We’re not talking about wages in isolation of recruitment and retention. People are actually leaving the City of Toronto and going and working in other municipalities, smaller municipalities who are not as rich as the City of Toronto, who are paying workers more and creating better, healthier work environments.”
Both sides say they expect to be back at the bargaining table on Monday.
