Tentative deal announced.
CUPE 416 president Mark Ferguson speaks at a press conference in this file photo. It's expected the framework of a new deal will be announced this morning.
Staff file photo/DAVID NICKLE
City of Toronto and CUPE Local 416 negotiators have reached a tentative
contract agreement, union president Mark Ferguson announced Sunday
morning.
“We have a tentative settlement in place, and we’ll be talking again at 9
a.m. tomorrow (Monday) to cross the t’s and dot the i’s,” said a weary
looking Mark Fegurson, president of Local 416, at a press conference
shortly after 8:30 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 5 at the Sheraton
Hotel on Queen Street where bargaining had been taking place.
Negotiations between the city and the union representing its
approximately 6,000 outside workers had already worked through two
deadlines this morning, at 12:01 a.m. and 2 a.m.
“We’re happy could do this through direct negotiation,” Ferguson said of the deal.
Details of the contract were not being released.
However, Ferguson said the union gave up “numerous” concessions during bargaining with city, which he described as difficult.
“They were one of the toughest labour negotiations in Canadian history,” Ferguson said.
Going into negotiations, Ferguson said it appeared the administration of
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford was determined to take a tough stand with its
unionized employees and was not interested in reaching a deal.
“But in the end they were interested in reaching a deal,” he said.
As of 12:01 a.m. Sunday, the city and union would have been in legal lockout and strike positions respectively.
A ratification vote by CUPE members on the deal is expected sometime
later this week, along with approval by the city of the contract.
In a statement released by the city Sunday morning, Deputy Mayor Doug Holyday said the city was pleased to have been able to reach a deal.
He called the agreement “fair” for the workers and “reasonable and affordable” for the taxpayers of Toronto.
“Better yet, we will be better positioned to deliver efficient services
to the residents and businesses of Toronto.” Holyday said.
He praised the hard work of the city’s bargaining team and also
acknowledged the willingness to negotiate by the union, “rather than
taking job action that would deprive residents of important city
services,”
Earlier in the bargaining process, the city had taken a firm line with
the union. The city had said Friday it would act on its own to change
the working conditions of its unionized outside workers under the terms
of a final offer made on Thursday, Feb. 2, if
a deal could not be reached.
“We’re entitled to do certain things and we are doing them,” Holyday told Toronto Community News earlier.
Money was not among the key issues in the negotiations.
The union had offered to take a three-year pay freeze, while the city is
offered lump sump payments of 1.25 to 1.75 per cent over four years.
Clauses protecting jobs for permanent employees when work is contracted
out, requiring union agreement in scheduling work and filling vacancies,
or allowing workers to take meal breaks when they wish, lead to
inefficiencies and cost the city millions each year,
were key issues.
Services that CUPE 416 workers provide include waste collection in
Toronto east of Etobicoke, maintaining indoor and outdoor arenas, pools
parks maintenance and some snow clearing services.