Talks with city a ‘union-busting exercise’: CUPE
Posted January 27, 2012 11:46 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The heads of two unions now in talks with the city held a news conference Friday to air their concerns with the slow progress.
CUPE Local 416 president Mark Ferguson and CUPE Local 4948 president Maureen O’Reilly say the city so far has refused to negotiate in good faith.
Ferguson called the talks “totally one-sided” and a “union-busting exercise” and insisted outside city workers do not want a strike.
“We don’t want to be out on the street and hopefully it doesn’t come to that point,” he said, during the conference at the Sheraton Centre in Toronto. “My focus at this point is to secure an agreement that will avoid a lockout.”
He said he believes the city is planning for a labour disruption after filing a No Board report with the Ontario Ministry of Labour earlier this month.
The ministry approved the request, which effectively allows the city to lock out its workers represented by Local 416 on Feb. 5 at 12:01 a.m.
O’Reilly, whose union represents Toronto Public Library workers, said the city wants the same concessions it’s demanding from Local 416 and she believes the city is “picking a fight” with her members.
“Agreements don’t just protect workers but also services,” she said. “There will be no libraries without librarians. We need that frontline staff.”
The city shot back, claiming it was the unions who were thwarting the process.
“They’re the only ones talking about a strike or lockout,” said deputy mayor Doug Holyday. “We just want to sit at the table and have them discuss the matters that we’re putting forward. On the major matters, the big differences, they don’t wish to discuss it.”
On Jan. 13, Ferguson offered a three-year wage freeze — which he claims would save the city $25.5 million — and to continue the current terms of its collective agreement. The city ignored the offer and countered with a four-year proposal which includes taking the so-called “jobs for life” provision away from workers with less than 25 years’ experience.
Local 416 represents about 6,000 city employees, including garbage collectors, road and parks workers, animal control officers and paramedics.
With files from Shawne McKeown
