There is still time for the city to get a deal done with a union representing its inside workers, says Deputy Mayor Doug Holyday.
Holyday made the comments Thursday morning as the countdown continues towards a possible strike by members of CUPE Local 79.
The union has already voted 85 per cent in favour of walking off the job and will be eligible to do so at 12:01 a.m. Saturday.
Likewise, the city will be in a legal lockout position at the same time.
"There is still time to do the deal," Holyday told CP24. "We still want to do the deal, we are not threatening them in any way, we haven't listed any plans for any action of any kind yet, but to get the deal they have to come to the table."
On Tuesday CUPE Local 79 President Tim Maguire told reporters that his union is more than willing to talk past the strike deadline and will not walk off the job unless the city forces them to do so by arbitrarily changing the terms and conditions of their contracts.
But Holyday said the union refused to meet on Wednesday and has often been unwilling to negotiate throughout the process.
Talks were scheduled to resume Thursday with CUPE Local 79 expected to table a new proposal.
"They refused to meet yesterday again and that is really unfortunate," Holyday told CP24. "In order to get a deal they have got to come to the table."
CUPE Local 79 represents nurses, janitors, ambulance dispatchers, recreation workers, child-care workers and urban planners.
The union has been without a contract since midnight on Dec 31.
Some of the main sticking points preventing a deal getting done revolve around job security, part-time worker rights and benefits.
