A tentative deal has been reached between the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) and its electrical and trades workers, averting a strike that was set to begin on Monday.
CUPE Local 2, which represents more than 650 TTC workers, says they reached the deal early on Monday after a weekend of intense negotiations. The electrical and trades employees have been without a contract since April 2022.
The union didn’t disclose the specifics of the agreement, but Sumit Guleria, President of CUPE Local 2, called it a significant win for members and said negotiated wages would provide much-needed relief from the rising cost of living.
Had the walkout happened, it would have been the first time in more than a decade that any unionized TTC workers have taken job action after a landmark 2023 court ruling overturned a law banning TTC employees from striking.
“This is a fair deal that is affordable for the TTC and respectful of the important work the 650 members of CUPE Local 2 do every day to keep our system safe and our service reliable,” said TTC CEO Rick Leary.
Cupe Local 2 said that the demand for a fair wage increase was at the core of the negotiated issues, with workers advocating for a raise to ensure their earnings remained “in step with the surging inflation rates.”