Toronto city workers set strike deadline for Monday morning

The union that represents roughly 30,000 Toronto city workers has set a strike deadline of 12:01 a.m. Monday.

In a news release issued Wednesday morning, CUPE Local 79 said if a deal can't be reached by then, thousands of front-line city workers will walk off the job.

"We are making one final effort to get a deal" said Nas Yadollahi, president of CUPE Local 79, in a statement. 

"If there is no agreement by 12:01am on Monday morning, we are on strike."

The city is currently negotiating a new contract with its "inside workers," which include staff in sectors like emergency dispatch, court services, 311 and shelters. They also include recreation workers and staff at city-run child-care centres.

CBC Toronto is seeking comment from the city on negotiations.

Last week, City Manager Paul Johnson said most services would continue in some capacity in the event of a strike, but most recreation centres and all city-run child-care centres would close.

If there is a labour disruption, Johnson said the city would not charge families for city-run daycare spots and would refund fees for recreational programming.

Other key services, like city-run long-term care facilities, emergency services and garbage collection, as well as city-run shelters, warming centres and drop-in centres, would continue to operate, Johnson said.

"We have contingency plans for all of that," he said.

In its statement, the union alleged the city hasn't seriously negotiated, and instead stalled proceedings while critical public services are understaffed, citing hundreds of vacancies in areas like Toronto Public Health, long-term care homes, recreation and housing programs.

"Frontline workers — child care staff, shelter workers, public health nurses, recreation workers, personal support workers, and caseworkers in employment services — are struggling to afford to live in the city they serve," said Yadollahi.

"Yet the City continues to show them nothing but a lack of respect."