‘Progress is limited’: ATU local 113 says as TTC strike looms

Bargaining is still ongoing between the TTC and the Amalgamated Transit Union 113 as they hope to prevent a strike with the deadline for a deal looming.

Workers voted in favour of a strike after their contract expired on March 31. The deadline for a deal to be reached is June 7.

Marvin Alfred, president of ATU local113, said they are hoping there is an opportunity to prevent a strike, but developments are slow.

“Progress is limited, unfortunately some of our core issues are not being addressed appropriately,” said Alfred.

Alfred said job security is a major sticking point.

“It’s very important the system is sustained, and we’re actually negotiating to protect the TTC from itself, when you have cross boundary and other agencies trying to provide transit, it works against the interest of Toronto riders.”

Other issues on the table are benefits and wages.  “We’re not anywhere near a deal,” said Alfred.

According to the transit agency’s 2023 CEO report, the TTC employs over 16,000 people with12,000 of those workers represented by ATU 113.

CityNews reached out to the TTC to ask about contingency plans being made. They say they are optimistic a deal can be done as their main focus is reaching an agreement.

They add that “as was said last week and as was the case in 2008, if there’s a full labour withdrawal, there will be no TTC service.”

The City also tells CityNews “it would not be appropriate to pre-empt negotiations as bargaining between the TTC and ATU 113 is ongoing.”

The last time the TTC went on strike was April 2008. It lasted less than 48 hours, after employees were legislated back-to-work by the provincial government in place at the time.

In 2011, a provincial law deemed TTC staff essential, meaning they were not allowed to strike. Courts however, overturned that law last year, ruling that it violated workers charters’ rights.

As for other agencies that are planning for a possible TTC strike, Metrolinx said they always have contingency plans in place, in the event of any service disruption. 

 GO trains and UP Express will continue to operate as normal and our stations will remain open.