CUPE 2 remains committed to reaching a fair agreement with the Toronto Transit Commission, following Wednesday’s no-board report issued by the Ontario Ministry of Labour, and emphasizes that it does not bargain in the media.
The union has been in bargaining since March 25, but says the TTC’s current offer does not reflect the value of the work performed by its members.
“We have only been bargaining since late March and the TTC’s offer is not where it needs to be,” said Sumit Guleria, president of CUPE 2. “Bargaining was set to begin in January, but the TTC refused to recognize the full bargaining committee. The Union was forced to file an unfair labour practice complaint at the Labour Board. It wasn’t until March that the TTC finally recognized the Union’s whole bargaining committee. Since then, we’ve been prepared to move in meaningful ways, but the TTC has not met us there.”
The union says the majority of items that have been signed off to date have come from employer proposals, while few of the union’s proposals have been accepted and there has been no substantive movement on key monetary issues. There remains over $10 million in concessions that the employer is seeking.
“Competitive wages are critical for a safe, reliable system,” said Guleria. “Our members are falling behind comparable public sector jobs, despite performing highly specialized work that is unique in this country”.
CUPE 2 has informed the TTC that it is prepared to bring in a mediator to help reach a fair agreement. Its members are preparing for all outcomes, including a lockout or strike, while remaining committed to keeping Toronto moving.
