The city's negotiations with 6,000 of its municipal workers have devolved into a "union busting" exercise, CUPE Local 416 President Mark Ferguson said Friday.
Ferguson made the comments during a joint press conference with CUPE Local 4948 President Maureen O'Reilly.
CUPE Local 416 represents outside workers, including garbage collectors, parking attendants and paramedics, while CUPE 4948 represents Toronto's public library workers.
Both unions had their contract with the city expire at midnight on Dec. 31.
"This isn't about negotiations anymore, this is about payback for (a 2009 strike) and this is about disrespecting the very employees that (Mayor Rob Ford) is the chief magistrate of," Ferguson said. "I don't believe that this administration is serious about getting a deal and that should be very troubling not only for myself but for all residents of this city."
Talks between the city and CUPE Local 416 broke down in December, but resumed two weeks ago after the city requested a "no-board" report.
The report, which was issued by the Ontario Labour Relations Board last Thursday, puts CUPE 416 in a legal strike position on Feb. 5 and the city in a legal lockout position.
"We have not taken a strike vote, we have indicated we have no plans to, but if the city starts to rip up our collective agreement it will leave us with no options," Ferguson said Friday. "It would be unprecedented if they make that move, but with this administration you never know."
In the past the city has said that it would like to address some of the so-called "jobs-for-life" provisions in its contracts with municipal workers.
For its part CUPE Local 416 has offered to accept a three year wage freeze, so long as other details from its previous contract are upheld in any new deal.
On Friday O'Reilly said the city is seeking many of the same concessions from her union that it is reportedly seeking from CUPE Local 416.
As a result, CUPE 4948 has asked the province to appoint a conciliator to oversee negotiations.
"They want the same concessions from the library workers that they are demanding from 416," she said. "It's an attack on job security and an attack on benefits."
In a Friday afternoon interview with CP24 Coun. Denzil Minnan-Wong said that is just not the case.
"We are looking for some changes that will give us the flexibility to run this city and I think that is what the public wants," he said. "We hope that the union leadership understands this and we will get a deal before Super Bowl Sunday."
If a deal isn't reached before Super Bowl Sunday as Minnan-Wong puts it, and CUPE 416 either walks off the job or is locked out by the city, it could mean major disruptions for the countless groups that make use of the city's indoor arenas.
In a news release issued Friday Scott Oakman, executive director of the Greater Toronto Hockey League, said his organization is already preparing for that eventuality.
In the release Oakman said the GTHL would try to shift games to non-city operated facilities and possibly push back the playoffs until a resolution is reached.
CUPE Local 79, which represents the city's inside workers, is also without a contract, but was not represented at Friday's press conference.
