Toronto city council staff are trying to form a union, TorontoToday has learned.
Union membership cards have been signed by at least 60 per cent of city council staff, triggering a process that could culminate in a vote next week to join AMAPCEO, Ontario’s second-largest public sector union.
“Toronto city council staff provide integral services to the people of Toronto — it is our skills, dedication, and hard work that support city councillors as they make critical decisions for the City of Toronto and its residents,” reads a passage from a recently launched website.
“In return, Toronto city council staff deserve a fair, transparent and respectful workplace, and strong benefits and protections,” the site said. “That’s why Toronto city council staff have filed an application for union representation.”
City council staff work for individual councillors and the mayor. They’re separate from the professional civil service.
"The City of Toronto can confirm that a proceeding has been commenced under the provisions of the Labour Relations Act, which stipulates specific and expedited response procedures that the city will adhere to,” said Russell Baker, head of the city's media relations department.
"Everyone deserves to have someone in their corner at work. These professionals work very hard serving the people of Toronto. They're organizing for the degree of fairness and transparency that only union representation can deliver, and we're proud they've chosen to organize with AMAPCEO," said AMAPCEO president and CEO Dave Bulmer.
Under provincial labour laws, at least 40 per cent of eligible employees must sign a union membership card for the union to file for certification with the Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB).
On March 6, AMAPCEO filed for certification with the labour board after reaching a 60 per cent threshold. Employers do not know who signs union cards.
Since the application has been filed, council staffers’ current employment terms have been frozen until a new collective agreement is reached. This is a standard process intended to protect against employer retaliation.
Council staff will soon participate in a secret vote conducted by the OLRB to indicate whether they would like to be represented by the union or not. AMAPCEO expects this vote to take place late next week, per the website.
If a majority of those voting cast a ballot in favour of joining, city staff will be unionized.
AMAPCEO — or the Association of Management, Administrative and Professional Crown Employees of Ontario — represents more than 17,000 professional employees, including many in the management class of the provincial public service.
The news comes as the city is locked in tense negotiations with CUPE Local 79, representing over 27,000 civil service workers.
Those workers are employed in homeless shelters, child care centres, recreation centres and elsewhere.
CUPE79 has threatened to go on strike first thing Monday morning, which would shutter March break camps and city-run child care centres.
Over 96 per cent of Toronto’s library workers also voted in favour of a strike on Thursday.
Brandon Haynes, the library union president, said the turnout “shows just how strongly library workers feel about the need for a fair contract.”
Editor's note: This story was updated after publication to include comment from AMAPCEO and the City of Toronto.
