The TTC worker's union have set 4pm Sunday as a strike deadline. Negotiations with the TTC will be continuing until then, but if a strike is called it would take effect Monday morning. This may well be a pressure tactic of course, and Monday may see the Rocket running as usual. But in the meantime...

GO Transit has already announced they won't be adding any extra vehicles to their routes, so if you rely on the TTC tomorrow might be a good time to start talking with co-workers about car pooling, and this weekend an ideal time to get caught up on grocery shopping and other errands.

Some of the sticking points for Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113 are improved health care benefits, pension security and full pay for employees off work due to injury from unsafe working conditions. While on the one hand those sound like reasonable requests, I think one of the reasons the union has trouble drumming up public support is the number of people who have no health care benefits, no pensions and no money coming to them if they can't work for health reasons -- or because they were unable to get to work due to a transit strike. According to the Toronto Star, Premier Dalton McGuinty was already asked about back-to-work legislation and refused to comment. And the question of making the TTC an essential service has naturally come up again, but without any indications from the people in power that the TTC will be joining emergency services on that list anytime soon.

Do you think the strike will actually happen? And if it does, how will it effect you?

Photo © Marilyn Campbell