In Toronto, a sigh of relief for the hundreds of thousands of public transportation users. Metro, bus and tram service is operating normally this morning, after the conclusion of an agreement in principle between the Transport Commission (CTT or TTC in English) and its 11,500 drivers and maintenance employees.
ATU Local 113 announced the three-year agreement around 11:30 p.m. Thursday evening, about half an hour before the 12:01 a.m. strike deadline.
This agreement honors the hard work and dedication of staff, in addition to establishing a threshold of fairness
says John Costa, international president ofHAVE YOU in a press release.
The details of the agreement will not be revealed before a ratification vote, adds the Union, which demanded better salaries and benefits, as well as protections against subcontracting.
In a written statement, the president of the CTTCity Councilman Jamaal Myers, said he looks forward to submitting the tentative agreement to the Commission for approval.
This agreement reflects a commitment to maintaining high standards of service for users, while valuing the hard work of [travailleurs].
Toronto Transit Commission by the numbers
| Number of one-way trips/day | 2.5 million |
| Number of buses | 2114 |
| Number of electric buses | 60 |
| Number of metro trains | 143 |
| Number of trams | 206 |
| Number of km of circuits | 6400 |
| Number of hours of service per week | 185,000 |
| Number of employees | 16,000 |
For the CEO of the CTTRick Leary, this is a good agreement for union members, residents and the Commission. The service is provided for the next three years
he said.
Thursday, during the day, the president of section 113 ofHAVE YOUMarvin Alfred, had claimed that the talks were in a dead end
. He said he had little hope of reaching a negotiated agreement. By evening, however, both parties reported progress.
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The CTT has more than 2100 buses. (Archive photo)
Photo: Radio-Canada / Alex Lupul
The last strike dates back to 2008
Union members voted 98% in favor of a strike if the parties could not agree.
The United Transportation Union has not yet announced a date for the ratification vote. We have a framework of understanding. But we want to make sure all the details are finalized before submitting the agreement to our members
explains Marvin Alfred.
The union members’ collective agreement expired on March 31. The two parties had been negotiating its renewal for months.
The latest strike of workers in the CTT dates back to 2008. The Liberal government of Dalton McGuinty subsequently withdrew their right to strike, considering that it was an essential service.
This decision was, however, overturned by the courts.
With information from CBC News
