The union that represents roughly 30,000 Toronto city workers has set a strike deadline of 12:01 a.m. Monday.
In a news release issued Wednesday morning, CUPE Local 79 said if a deal can’t be reached by then, thousands of front-line city workers will walk off the job.
“We are making one final effort to get a deal” said Nas Yadollahi, president of CUPE Local 79, in a statement.
“If there is no agreement by 12:01am on Monday morning, we are on strike.”
The city is currently negotiating a new contract with its “inside workers,” which include staff in sectors like emergency dispatch, court services, 311 and shelters. They also include recreation workers and staff at city-run child-care centres.
CBC Toronto is seeking comment from the city on negotiations.
Last week, City Manager Paul Johnson said most services would continue in some capacity in the event of a strike, but most recreation centres and all city-run child-care centres would close.
If there is a labour disruption, Johnson said the city would not charge families for city-run daycare spots and would refund fees for recreational programming.
Other key services, like city-run long-term care facilities, emergency services and garbage collection, as well as city-run shelters, warming centres and drop-in centres, would continue to operate, Johnson said.
“We have contingency plans for all of that,” he said.
