2008 Toronto Transit Commission strike
Encyclopedia
The 2008 TTC strike was as a legal strike action
by Toronto Transit Commission
(TTC) unionized employees that began on April 26, 2008 at 12:01 a.m. EDT
. All bus, streetcar and subway in Toronto
, Ontario
, Canada
, was suspended leaving thousands of people stranded across the city. Although the strike action was legal the Amalgamated Transit Union
local 113 did not provide 48-hour notice of the service withdrawal as they had previously promised they would do. Instead, the ATU only provided 90 minutes' notice before the service withdrawal. Bob Kinnear
president of the Amalgamated Transit Union
(ATU) Local 113 claimed that the lack of an advance notice was necessary to protect the his TTC employees from "angry and irrational members of the public".
Local 2, voted 65% to reject the offer made on April 20, 2008. The result of the ratification vote was completed just after 10:00 p.m. on April 25 and Torontonians and TTC employees were given approximately 90 minutes notice before the job action began.
The rejected offer had offered TTC operators a 3% wage increase each year for three years. Some operators and maintenance staff were not pleased with the offer. There were also concerns over the injury compensation package and according to some reports contracting out
work. TTC employees voiced their concerns over the week prior to the strike.
At approximately 11:45 p.m. Toronto mayor David Miller
held a news conference stating that the strike action was "unacceptable and irresponsible". By the following day the mayor had spoken with Ontario premier
Dalton McGuinty
to ask him to seek back-to-work legislation. By 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 26, the provincial government
had signed an Order in Council allowing for a rare Sunday sitting of the Ontario legislature
to consider a bill (Bill 66) to order the union back to work.
On April 27, 2008 a back-to-work law (Bill 66) was unanimously passed by the Ontario Legislature, a process which only took 30 minutes. The law was quickly given Royal Assent
by David Onley
, the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
, making it official after 2 p.m. The TTC was given a few hours to ensure the system was ready to operate and to build up service. Most transit service resumed by early evening.
Source: TTC
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
by Toronto Transit Commission
Toronto Transit Commission
-Island Ferry:The ferry service to the Toronto Islands was operated by the TTC from 1927 until 1962, when it was transferred to the Metro Parks and Culture department. Since 1998, the ferry service is run by Toronto Parks and Recreation.-Gray Coach:...
(TTC) unionized employees that began on April 26, 2008 at 12:01 a.m. EDT
Eastern Time Zone
The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...
. All bus, streetcar and subway in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, was suspended leaving thousands of people stranded across the city. Although the strike action was legal the Amalgamated Transit Union
Amalgamated Transit Union
The Amalgamated Transit Union is a labor union in the United States and The Amalgamated Transit Union Canadian Council in Canada, representing workers in the transit system and other industries...
local 113 did not provide 48-hour notice of the service withdrawal as they had previously promised they would do. Instead, the ATU only provided 90 minutes' notice before the service withdrawal. Bob Kinnear
Bob Kinnear
Bob Kinnear is a labour leader in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He is the leader of the Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 113, which represents approximately 9,000 TTC workers and approximately 200 workers at Veolia Transportation in York Region....
president of the Amalgamated Transit Union
Amalgamated Transit Union
The Amalgamated Transit Union is a labor union in the United States and The Amalgamated Transit Union Canadian Council in Canada, representing workers in the transit system and other industries...
(ATU) Local 113 claimed that the lack of an advance notice was necessary to protect the his TTC employees from "angry and irrational members of the public".
General synopsis
The strike occurred when the two unions, ATU Local 113 and Canadian Union of Public EmployeesCanadian Union of Public Employees
The Canadian Union of Public Employees is a Canadian trade union serving the public sector - although it has in recent years organized workplaces in the non-profit and para-public sector as well...
Local 2, voted 65% to reject the offer made on April 20, 2008. The result of the ratification vote was completed just after 10:00 p.m. on April 25 and Torontonians and TTC employees were given approximately 90 minutes notice before the job action began.
The rejected offer had offered TTC operators a 3% wage increase each year for three years. Some operators and maintenance staff were not pleased with the offer. There were also concerns over the injury compensation package and according to some reports contracting out
Outsourcing
Outsourcing is the process of contracting a business function to someone else.-Overview:The term outsourcing is used inconsistently but usually involves the contracting out of a business function - commonly one previously performed in-house - to an external provider...
work. TTC employees voiced their concerns over the week prior to the strike.
Back-to-work legislation
David Miller (Canadian politician)
David Raymond Miller is a Canadian politician. He was the 63rd Mayor of Toronto and the second since the 1998 amalgamation. He was elected to the position in 2003 for a three-year term and re-elected in 2006 for a four-year term...
held a news conference stating that the strike action was "unacceptable and irresponsible". By the following day the mayor had spoken with Ontario premier
Premier of Ontario
The Premier of Ontario is the first Minister of the Crown for the Canadian province of Ontario. The Premier is appointed as the province's head of government by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, and presides over the Executive council, or Cabinet. The Executive Council Act The Premier of Ontario...
Dalton McGuinty
Dalton McGuinty
Dalton James Patrick McGuinty, Jr., MPP is a Canadian lawyer, politician and, since October 23, 2003, the 24th and current Premier of the Canadian province of Ontario....
to ask him to seek back-to-work legislation. By 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 26, the provincial government
Government of Ontario
The Government of Ontario refers to the provincial government of the province of Ontario, Canada. Its powers and structure are set out in the Constitution Act, 1867....
had signed an Order in Council allowing for a rare Sunday sitting of the Ontario legislature
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...
to consider a bill (Bill 66) to order the union back to work.
On April 27, 2008 a back-to-work law (Bill 66) was unanimously passed by the Ontario Legislature, a process which only took 30 minutes. The law was quickly given Royal Assent
Royal Assent
The granting of royal assent refers to the method by which any constitutional monarch formally approves and promulgates an act of his or her nation's parliament, thus making it a law...
by David Onley
David Onley
David Charles Onley, OOnt is the 28th and current Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, Canada.Onley was a television journalist prior to his viceregal appointment. He worked primarily for Citytv as a science and technology reporter, and for the 24-hour news station CablePulse 24 as a news anchor and...
, the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
The Lieutenant Governor of Ontario is the viceregal representative in Ontario of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who operates distinctly within the province but is also shared equally with the ten other jurisdictions of Canada and resides predominantly in her oldest realm, the United...
, making it official after 2 p.m. The TTC was given a few hours to ensure the system was ready to operate and to build up service. Most transit service resumed by early evening.
Offer
- Term: three years, expiring March 31, 2011
- Wages: April 1, 2008 - 3%; April 1, 2009 - 3%; April 1, 2010 - 3%
- Vision Care: $300 every 2 years; plus $50 for exams
- Dental Care: major restorative, including implants up to $2,500
- Orthodontic: up to $4,000 (50% TTC coverage)
- Physio & Chiro: $1,000 max ($35 per visit)
- Long-term Disability: $2,550 max, per month
Source: TTC
See also
- 2006 TTC wildcat strike2006 TTC wildcat strikeThe 2006 Toronto Transit Commission wildcat strike was an illegal strike in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on May 29, 2006. It was initiated by 800 Toronto Transit Commission mechanical and janitorial workers who were protesting proposed changes in work schedules, including permanent re-assignment of...
- Toronto Transit Commission personnelToronto Transit Commission personnelMost Toronto Transit Commission personnel are members of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113. Total membership is approximately 8,500 members...
- Bob KinnearBob KinnearBob Kinnear is a labour leader in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He is the leader of the Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 113, which represents approximately 9,000 TTC workers and approximately 200 workers at Veolia Transportation in York Region....
, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union local 113 - Adam GiambroneAdam GiambroneAdam Giambrone is a Canadian politician who was a Toronto City Councillor, representing the southern of two Davenport wards. Elected at 26, he remained the youngest member of Toronto council after re-election. He is also a former president of the federal New Democratic Party...
, city councillor and Chair of the TTC