Toronto strike not over yet

CUPE local 79 votes for new contract, local 416 yet to hold vote
Both unions hashing out back to work protocol before they resume jobs
By Kris Scheuer
(Click here for July 30 update on end of strike)

Strikers are still maintaining picket lines on day 38 of labour unrest.
Today, local 79 that represents city inside workers including long term care nurses and day care workers voted for a new deal. The contract awards them with a six percent raise over three years and options to continue to bank sick days or opt for a buy out and switch to new short term disability plan.
Employees may have voted for the deal today, but they will walking the picket lines rather than back to work tomorrow
Union president Ann Dembinski stated tonight, that Local 79 has ratified the “Memorandums of Agreement”  for its full and part time workers.
However, “Back to work protocols are still being worked on. Please report to your picket site until further notice,” she said in a July 29 statement on CUPE local 79‘s website.

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Details of local 79 union deal

Toronto’s inside workers vote for new contract today
Here’s some insight into the city contract, but strike not over
By Kris Scheuer
(Written for Town Crier July 29.)

While Mayor David Miller couldn’t release the information on when city services would resume as planned, he did release some details on the tentative deal struck with CUPE Local 79.
The pact includes a six percent raise over three years, as well as various options on banking sick days.
“The sick bank is eliminated,” Miller said.
However, the devil is in the details.
In the deal struck, new employees cannot bank sick days and will instead be offered a short-term disability package of up to six months of sick pay.

Toronto services held up by strike

No date yet for city services to resume
Without a vote by local 416 garbage may continue to fester
By Kris Scheuer
(Originally published July 29 for Town Crier.)

Summer is still on hold.
When a tentative deal was reached between striking unions and the city on Monday Mayor David Miller said the next challenge is “bringing summer back.” 
But today, Miller was unable release details of when city services, such as garbage collection and day camps, would resume. As of this afternoon, CUPE local 416 had yet to schedule a vote on the tentative agreement with the city. 
“The intent of this press conference was to announce a schedule for the resumption of services. Until (CUPE) locals 79 and 416 sign on to back-to-work protocol, we can’t do that,” Miller said this afternoon. “I regret that.”
He added, “We wanted to have our employees back to work as early as Thursday morning.”

Woodbine beach swimming unsafe

Swims not recommended at Sunnyside, Kew-Balmy and Bluffer’s either: city
Cherry only beach with low E.coli levels in water department latest tests
By Kris Scheuer

Toronto water departmentis testing water quality at five city beaches. The latest test, on Monday, was posted on July 28 and indicates only one of these beaches has a safe enough level of E.coli for Toronto Public Health to declare it safe for swimming. So dive right in at Cherry Beach, the water is just fine.
The weather is starting to pick up, so let me know what the water temperature is like if you do head down there.
Keep in mind that the city, which normally tests water daily at 11 beaches, is doing modified testing during the strike which is not officially over yet. So check the city’s site for the latest as new tests are conducted Monday-Friday at Sunnyside, Kew-Balmy, Woodbine, Cherry and Bluffer’s beaches.