City Hall has made no headway with union negotiators since 24,000 civic workers went on strike on June 22, said Mayor David Miller at a briefing to city councillors on Wednesday. Despite no developments in negotiations, Miller remained positive: “I believe a negotiated settlement that is fair to our workers, that is affordable to the city, and allows the city to run effectively is quite possible.”
Miller thanked city residents for putting up with inconveniences during the strike and was adamant that children’s services are the most vital to restore: “I just wish we could get the programs for children back to children who need them the most. Those are the people being hurt by this strike. We’re dealing with the garbage, but poor kids who don’t have a cottage or something, the city programs are their recreation in the summer, they deserve to be in them and it’s time to find a way to end this.”
Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong of Ward 34 was less optimistic about negotiations: “There is a large gulf between the city and the union, and what they’re asking for, quite frankly, is simply outrageous,” he told reporters. “This strike could last a significant amount of time unless the union comes to their senses.” Minnan-Wong was critical of the mayor for not being more frank with the people of Toronto. “The mayor has an obligation to the public to tell them why we’re on strike,” he said.
Councillor Adam Vaughan of Ward 20 called Minnan-Wong’s gulf analogy “a profound misrepresentation. There’s movement required to settle this whole thing, but it’s possible. I’m more confident now that the city’s trying to create a more progressive and more creative work environment for everybody than I was going in to the meeting, but the city’s not backing down.”
Coming out of the meeting, Miller emphasized that views on the current economic climate have been a roadblock to reaching a settlement. “The city and the unions have a difference about the fact that the world’s changed. The world changed with the financial crisis and it hit the city like everybody else. Our welfare costs are up significantly, and it’s changed the city budget,” said Miller. As for back to work legislation, Miller is against the idea, saying “we want a collective agreement that we can work with for the future and the only way to do that is one that’s negotiated between the parties.”
