BusTalk

[TTCBusbabe]

But one union says it won't walk

By BRIAN GRAY, SUN MEDIA

The Toronto Sun

TTC employees could deliver strike three next week -- although bus and subway drivers have promised to stay on the job for now.

A third union at the transit system is poised to walk off the job when its contract expires early Tuesday morning.

Members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local 235 perform skilled labour including maintenance on streetcars as well as millwright duties for the entire transit service, said IAMAW district 78 business agent Paul Mitchell yesterday.

The 46 machinists will join members of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113 and Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 2 who will be in a legal strike position at the same time.

"At the moment we're waiting for the larger unions to handle their negotiations," Mitchell said. "The normal course of events is to let them establish a pattern on wages, benefits and pensions and we follow."

TTC chairman Adam Giambrone said having three union contracts expire at the same time has been a challenge.

"We'll have to take that into consideration throughout this bargaining, he said. "They're all TTC workers, we'll have to see how this goes and step back and do an evaluation."

Commuters got some good news yesterday when ATU Local 113 president Bob Kinnear said the nearly 9,000 members who operate the vehicles and provide other TTC services would not walk off the job Tuesday.

Kinnear said a provincially appointed mediator had resolved enough issues to keep both sides at the table and put an agreement within sight. "It may take two or even three more weeks to work through all our issues but we're committed to sticking with it as long as progress is being made," Kinnear said.

The union has also promised to give 48-hours notice of any work stoppage effecting the millions of riders who rely on the TTC.

However, about 500 CUPE Local 2 members -- subway signal workers and electrical workers -- are also poised to strike early Tuesday and they have not said they will stay on the job or provide advance notice.

Local 2 officials will meet with TTC negotiators today.

"They want to know we take their issues very seriously which we do," Giambrone said. He would not say if subway service can continue without the signal and electrical workers, only that they were evaluating the situation and focusing on reaching an agreement.

City Council has called a special meeting Monday to look at keeping traffic moving in the event of a TTC strike.

Councillors are set to discuss banning parking on some main roads so emergency vehicles can get through and allowing free parking at arenas and community centres so drivers can carpool.