City of Toronto, unionized inside workers reach tentative deal to avert strike

Globalnews.ca
March 16, 2020
Nick Westoll

Shortly after a 12:01 a.m. strike and lockout deadline passed on Saturday, the City of Toronto and CUPE Local 79 announced a tentative agreement was reached.

In a statement released by the City on Saturday, staff called the proposed five-year contract “fair to Toronto residents and Local 79 workers.”

The union, which represents approximately 24,000 workers, said the agreement was reached shortly before 12:01 a.m. and came after “round-the-clock” bargaining.

Details of the deal weren’t released pending votes by Toronto city council and members of CUPE Local 79.

Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, the union said ratification will take place in about three weeks.

Among those who could have been on the picket lines would have been a large number of Toronto Public Health staff not working on the City’s COVID-19 response.

CUPE Local 79 represents workers in several City departments such as planning, recreation, child care, bylaw and licensing. Workers have been without a contract since the end of December.

Major bargaining issues involved job security, wages, benefits, and parental leave.