Toronto transit workers set Monday for walkout

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By ALLISON DUNFIELD AND JEFF GRAY
Friday, April 8, 2005 Updated at 5:27 PM EST
Globe and Mail Update

The union representing workers for the Toronto Transit
Commission Friday say they have readied their 8,000 plus
members to go on strike Monday morning, meaning more than one
million commuters could be stranded next week.

They said they will give Transit Commission the weekend to
consider their latest offer.

"It is...with the deepest regret that I have to announce that
we will be withdrawing our services as of Monday morning,"
Bob Kinnear, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union, told
a press conference in Toronto Friday.

"We will give the [Toronto Transit] Commission the weekend to
think about the consequences of their inadequate offer.

"That is the unanimous decision of our executive," Mr.
Kinnear said.

Mr. Kinnear said TTC employees are tired of "taking the flak"
for continued cuts to services by government.

"We are tired of being blamed for having to collect higher
and higher fares from our passengers--most of whom are
working people like us," Mr. Kinnear told reporters.

"We don't want to hinder the public. That's the last thing we
want. But unfortunately the TTC has forced us into that
position," he said.

About 1.4 million commuters use the system each day.

The union and the commission are far apart on issues such as
the contracting out of maintenance workers, Mr. Kinnear said.

After Mr. Kinnear spoke, TTC chairman Howard Moscoe released
a copy of the TTC's final offer to reporters, which said the
union was offered 2.75 per cent wage increase this year, a 3
per cent wage increase next year, and a 3.25 per cent
increase in 2007.

A hike in 2008 would be negotiated in the next contract. The
offer also included increased benefits and pension
contributions. Mr. Moscoe said it was worth $160-million in
total.

He said he didn't understand the union's refusal to accept
the offer and said he was disappointed.

"It has been a very long week. [I am] deeply, deeply,
disappointed. We have the best offering we can possibly move
under the circumstances," Mr. Moscoe said.

The union-imposed deadline for the Toronto Transit Commission
to come up with an "acceptable" offer and avoid a transit
strike passed at noon Friday, but TTC officials remained
hopeful a deal could be reached.

Mr. Kinnear had warned earlier this week that without an
adequate offer he would walk away from the talks at that time
and order his 8,400 TTC workers to hit the picket lines
Monday morning.

The union had been in a legal strike position since April 1.

Earlier this week. The union, consisting of more than 8,000
bus, subway and streetcar workers, voted 99 per cent against
a five-year offer on March 9.

The deal included a two per cent wage increase in each of the
next three years. The union said it wanted pension
contributions to be increased and leniency in scheduling.

The transit system last went on strike in 1999, jamming the
city's highways and roads for two days.

Mayor David Miller asked Friday for both sides to return to
bargaining table before it's too late.

"It's very clear from the progress of the negotiations that
with goodwill, and there has been goodwill throughout this
bargaining, that a negotiated settlement can still be reached
over the weekend."

Mr. Miller said he'll speak with Premier Dalton McGuinty to
discuss contingency plans in the event of a strike —
including back-to-work legislation.

"I'll discuss all options with him, and obviously back-to-
work legislation is one of those options."

Mr. McGuinty also said he expects both sides to continue
negotiating.

"My expectation is that both sides will devote every possible
moment between now and then to avert a strike," he said.

With a report from Canadian Press