McGuinty: I'd Consider Making TTC An Essential Service
It won't help you come Monday, but there's now at least the possibility that you'll never have to worry about a future TTC strike again. For the very first time, Premier Dalton McGuinty admits he's willing to consider making city transit systems in Ontario an essential service.
It's a major reversal for the Liberal chief, who had commented on Thursday that he had no intention of declaring Toronto's transporter a necessity. But it won't happen without some intervention from City Hall and there's no sign yet that politicians here will make the request.
"If there was some kind of approach made during the course of the next three years by the city of Toronto, representatives of the city of Toronto saying we have decided ourselves that it would be a good thing for us to have our public transit system declared essential, that is something that we at Queen's Park would have to consider," McGuinty muses.
There are already a host of services that are deemed essential in the province, including police and fire services. Having the TTC join them would remove their right to strike, and replace it with an arbitration process that often results in workers being paid more than they receive now.
But it's not going to happen right away, if at all. "The ball is in somebody else's court," McGuinty affirms. "If it's in our court, we'll act responsibly. Torontonians themselves would have to decide that they want something done and they'd have to approach us."
But would the Premier really be willing to make a change if that word came?
"That hasn't happened," he responds. "If the City of Toronto, if they were to approach us with such a request, that is something we would consider."
The admission puts the onus back on city politicians, who have steadfastly been against the idea, though a growing majority of transit users support it.
Still, expect this spring snowball to gain weight as it rolls downhill, with some councillors feeling enough is enough when it comes to dealing with the seeming never-ending threat of a transit strike every three years.
"If we get our way, basically the province would declare the TTC to be an essential service and basically make labour disruptions a thing of the past," assures Councillor Cliff Jenkins.
The opposition parties aren't happy with what some are calling the Premier's meddling, accusing him of getting involved in a sensitive issue just two days before the strike powder keg is set to explode. And they say if McGuinty had the city's best interests at heart, he could have declared the Red Rocket a necessity after the last strike, two years ago.
Still, there was some other positive news for transit riders - McGuinty made it clear the government won't allow a walkout to last long. He recalls previous regimes have ordered a quick end to the walkouts and he's aware the disruption it would cause to Canada's economic engine - so it can't go on for more than a day or two.
Queen's Park could introduce back to work legislation that forces the workers to return and resolves their differences with management through the use of a mediator.
The Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113 announced on Thursday a 4pm Sunday deadline for a deal, or a strike would start 12 hours later on Monday morning.
What Constitutes An Essential Service?
Some employees - like police, firefighters and hospital workers - can't leave their posts or innocent lives could suffer. But despite what you may think, there are no hard and fast rules about what's considered 'essential' and what isn't. Here are some of the guidelines, according to the Ontario Ministry of Labour:
-There is no single statute in Ontario that defines "essential services" with respect to labour disputes.
-Legislation applying to certain occupations (police, firefighters, and hospital workers) prohibits strikes and lockouts. Collective bargaining disputes affecting these workers that cannot be resolved through negotiations must be referred to compulsory interest arbitration.
-Legislation applying to Crown employees and ambulance workers requires that an essential services agreement be in place before a strike or lockout can begin. Such agreements stipulate the work that must continue to be performed during a work stoppage to ensure that essential services are maintained.
-Other workers in Ontario who fall under the Labour Relations Act, 1995 (including general municipal and transit workers) have the right to strike and can be locked out as long as certain preconditions have been met (i.e., the parties have engaged in conciliation and are in a legal strike position.)
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