Efforts to avoid a strike by Toronto Transit Commission employees are going into overtime.
A statement released early Saturday morning says both the TTC and CUPE Local 2 have agreed to extend talks beyond the Friday midnight deadline to 6 p.m. Saturday.
The two sides have been at an impasse in contract talks following weeks of negotiations. The contract expired back in March, and workers voted 99 per cent in favour of a strike with both sides in a legal strike or lockout position as of 12:01 a.m. Saturday.
Wages remain the key sticking point.
Earlier this week, TTC CEO Mandeep Lali said the union’s latest proposal would cost an additional $40 million over the term of the agreement, and the TTC couldn’t accept a deal that would place an unfair burden on taxpayers and transit users.
Meanwhile, the union says competitive wages are critical to a “safe, reliable system,” and the TTC’s latest offer does not reflect the value of the work performed by roughly 700 electrical workers.
Another factor complicating the negotiating timeline — the FIFA World Cup is now just around the corner, less than 30 days away.
A strike wouldn’t shut down the TTC, but it could impact subway service as workers who would usually fix signals, tracks, or power issues would be effectively off the job, resulting in increased delays and potential line closures.
The TTC says it has contingency plans in place, but has not provided details.
Premier Doug Ford weighed in on the negotiations at an unrelated press conference on Tuesday, saying he hoped both parties would “come to their senses” to keep trains running during the World Cup.