Union Urges the City to Stop Misleading the Public and to Get Back to the Negotiating Table

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Instead of misleading the public, the City should come back to the table and negotiate to avoid the path to labour dispute that they’ve started down, says Eddie Mariconda, President of CUPE Local 416.

Earlier today a “no-board report,” requested by the City last week, was issued, triggering a countdown to 12:01am on Thursday, February 27, when the two parties will be in legal strike or lockout position. The City followed this announcement with a communication outlining several key bargaining issues in including job security, benefits and parental leave.

“Our job security language, like our entire contract, expired on December 31, 2019. That means the whole contract is up for negotiation. To say that we are going against what was previously negotiated because we want the job security date to follow rest of the contract is purposely misleading,” said Eddie Mariconda, President of CUPE Local 416, about the City’s bargaining communication. “If we go by the City's logic then they are the ones going back on what was previously agreed when they insist on deep concessions to benefits that were freely and fairly negotiated in previous rounds of bargaining.”

Mariconda called the city’s tactics are predictable and aimed at trying to divide his members and turn residents against the people who deliver their services.

“At the end of the day renewing our job security language costs the city nothing. On benefits, the City saved $18 million in one year after they switched benefit providers, they don’t need to go back on what was previously agreed to in order to find savings,” Mariconda said. “Our contract is affordable and sustainable, and we provide world class services to the people of Toronto. If they have the residents’ best interests in mind then they will come to the table, make a commitment to front-line workers and negotiate a deal.”

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