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Toronto – Following a presentation to City Council’s Policy and Finance Committee regarding alternative service delivery (ASD) this morning, the Toronto Civic Employees’ Union, Local 416 (CUPE) announced that it has asked the Minister of Labour to issue a “no board” report. From the date the “no board” is issued there are 17 days until a legal strike or lockout. If the “no board” is issued tomorrow as expected, the strike/lockout deadline will be June 24th, 12:01 a.m.

We were left with no option,” said Brian Cochrane, president of Local 416. “We have been in negotiations with the city since February. For months we have been trying to understand why the city has been refusing to address substantive issues at the bargaining table. They have obstructed progress at every turn, and now we know why. It is crystal clear that they are hell-bent on pursuing the ASD agenda at all cost.”

ASD is simply privatization and contracting out dressed up as something else,” said Cochrane. “The city’s employees are not fooled by this, nor are the citizens of Toronto. We know that contracting out will mean loss of jobs, higher costs, and reduction in the quality of and access to currently public services.”

With the request for the “no board”, Local 416 has also set dates for its strike vote, which will take place on June 12th and 13th.

Local 416 represents 9, 500 workers in Toronto, including water/wastewater workers, paramedics (EMS), solid waste workers, parks and recreation workers, corporate services and transportation workers, library and housing workers.

CUPE represents half a million working women and men in Canada, many of whom work in the municipal, school board, health care, and university sectors.

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For further information:
Brian Cochrane, President Local 416,
(416) 562-2543 – cell
Andrea Addario, CUPE Communications,
(416) 738-4329 – cell