Toronto Transit Commission Labor Problem To Affect 1.5 Million Canadian Commuters If Mediation Fails

Toronto, Canada (AHN) - Anticipating not much progress as the TTC union and the transport company representatives meet with the provincial mediator on Thursday, union president Bob Kinnear hinted of a service slowdown before the union goes into a full strike.

By Tuesday morning, the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113 will be legally allowed to strike, threatening to affect 1.5 million Ontario commuters.

But Kinnear assured travelers a job walk-off is not on top of their list. "We are leaving all options open to us... Withdrawal of our service would be a last resort," Kinnear told the Toronto Star.

The service slowdown, under a work-to-rule policy, means TTC workers would not wear uniforms and not collect fares, but would follow all safety regulations primarily obeying speed limits.

The TTC workers reached a deadlock with management on Monday over deductions made from salaries of injured workers on leave even if the injuries were job-related.

TTC chair Adam Giambrone expressed confidence the mediation would resolve the difference between management and the company's largest union. "We're hopeful that a provincial mediator will help us get back to the bargaining table... We're going to do our best to get a deal," Giambrone said.

Aside from the ATU's threat of a possible strike should mediation efforts fail, another headache for TTC is the 500-member CUPE Local 2 union which is slated to vote on a strike option Thursday as it anticipates problems with management which had not made an offer of contract renewal. The union's current contract expires Tuesday. It is made up of signal, electrical and communications employees.