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The Toronto Transit Commission and the union representing maintenance workers extended their deal deadline for a second time Saturday as collective agreement negotiations continued into the evening.
Talks between the TTC and CUPE Local 2, which represents about 700 people who install and maintain the transit network’s electrical, signal and communications systems, began in January, according to TTC’s CEO Mandeep Lali.
The deadline for a deal was first extended from midnight to 6 p.m. Saturday as both sides believed there was “enough progress to reach a deal,” according to the TTC’s website.
In an update to its website Saturday evening, the transit agency said they would continue bargaining with CUPE Local 2 past the 6 p.m. deadline. However, the TTC did not specify how long the parties would remain at the negotiating table.
In a statement to CBC Toronto Saturday evening, CUPE Local 2 spokesperson Katrina McGaughey said the TTC informed the union at 5:59 p.m. that it would continue reviewing the most recent proposal.
The transit agency previously said on social media Saturday morning that both sides were still at the table with help from a mediator.
WATCH | Talks continued into Saturday as the deal deadline was extended:
Talks between TTC, union continue as deadline extended to avoid job action
Efforts to avoid job action by TTC employees are going into overtime. The transit agency and the union representing maintenance workers are at an impasse in contract negotiations. A deadline to make a deal has been extended to Saturday at 6 p.m.
As the deadline approached, the TTC was in a legal lockout position, meaning they could block CUPE Local 2 workers from their jobs, while the union was in a legal strike position.
Nearly all CUPE Local 2 members — 99.5 per cent — voted in favour of a strike mandate in April after their previous agreement expired the month before.
But, earlier this week, union president Sumit Guleria said the group was not intending to strike. He said the union hoped to reach a deal before the FIFA World Cup.
He says while some progress has been made, such as the TTC signing off on items relating to health benefits and representation rights, wages and scheduling remain sticking points.
He said higher wages are needed to keep up with the cost of living and inflation.
In the case of a lockout, the TTC would still keep its systems running through a contingency plan, spokesperson Stuart Green said earlier this week. The plan includes assigning non-union management staff to respond to any incidents and perform any safety critical work, he said.
On Thursday, Green had also said the TTC did not intend on extending the midnight Saturday deadline.
“You set these deadlines in order to push negotiations and encourage a settlement,” he said. “We can’t keep bargaining into the abyss. We can’t just bargain forever.”
WATCH | TTC has been preparing for the arrival of FIFA fans and visitors next month:
Visiting Toronto for the FIFA World Cup? Here’s how the TTC will help you get around
The TTC is preparing for the influx of visitors for the FIFA World Cup, with plans to deploy at least 600 ambassadors to help fans get around Toronto. CBC’s Lane Harrison breaks down what we know about ‘Team TTC.’
Andrew Pulsifer with transit advocacy group TTCRiders said Thursday he hoped the parties would reach a deal before the deadline. Even with the contingency plans, locking out workers would impact riders, he said.
“I cannot imagine a place where, if you don’t have those workers there, that they’ll be able to fix disruptions quickly,” Pulsifer said.
He added skilled workers that are moving the system and helping commuters make it to work on time “deserve a fair deal.”