The union representing Toronto Transit Commission workers has set a strike deadline of 4 a.m. Monday morning.

Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113 chief Bob Kinnear said unless there is an offer by 4 p.m. Sunday, the 8,900 drivers and maintenance staff will be told not to show up to work.

Service will begin to shut down on Sunday afternoon and would be entirely halted by early Monday morning.

Kinnear said he gave the notice to give Mayor David Miller time to "step in and do what is fair.''

"There is still time for the mayor to stop this action," Kinnear said at a press conference late Thursday morning. "Everybody knows that the mayor calls the shots when it comes to the TTC settlement."

The mayor is in China for a trade mission and is scheduled to return to the city on Sunday night. He said Thursday via teleconference that he is confident a new contract could be hammered out without his assistance.

Miller also said the deal has to be one the cash-strapped city can afford.

"Neither the city nor the TTC are in a position to be overly generous," he said.

A strike would force 1.5 million people who use the city's buses, subways and streetcars each weekday to find other modes of transportation.

"We regret that this step is necessary and we understand that most of the public will not be on our side, but our alternative is to continue to accept second-class treatment in what the mayor says ... is a world-class city," Kinnear said.

The union head warned last week that union members in a legal strike position since April 1 were impatient with the slow pace of negotiation talks.

The key issue is a demand that injured or sick employees receive full pay if they are unable to report to work. Kinnear said he's "disappointed" the issue has not been adequately addressed by management.

Under the current contract, workers who need to take time off work because they have been assaulted or injured on the job are penalized with a pay cut.

Kinnear said TTC employees are second-class workers compared to other city of Toronto employees when it comes to job injuries, health-care benefits and pensions.

Kinnear also said TTC operators make less than transit drivers in Toronto's suburbs.

"Driving a streetcar on Queen Street in Toronto takes a lot more skill than driving a bus on Queen Street in Brampton. A TTC subway operator now makes less than a Mississauga bus operator. Is that fair?" he asked.

Kinnear said the problem is rooted mainly in inadequate funding from provincial and federal governments.

Talks ongoing

Last week Kinnear said members were frustrated by the slow rate of contract talks, and he called on TTC chairman Adam Giambrone to come to the table and replace TTC general manager Gary Webster.

On Thursday afternoon, Giambrone reiterated the point that he wouldn't be joining the contract talks, saying he has full confidence in their negotiating team.

"We're committed to a fair deal for our employees and one that is affordable to Toronto," he said at a press conference at city hall.

"We're committed to working over the next couple of days to reach a negotiated settlement at the table, and we're encouraged that both sides have expressed a real willingness toward a negotiated settlement."

Giambrone wouldn't comment on the specifics of the issues in the contract talks. He added he has not had any discussions with the provincial government.

Giambrone noted he doesn't own a car and relies on transit. He told reporters he may have to get around the city by bicycle if there is a strike.

Rider reaction

Transit riders were upset to hear of the potential labour disruption and said they don't know how they will get to work on Monday.

"I'll be stranded," one woman said with a nervous laugh.

"I don't know if I can afford to take a taxi all the way to the east end," said one man.

Others said they would have to walk to work or carpool, which is what many did when TTC workers staged a wildcat strike in May 2006. Some even rollerbladed to work.

One streetcar driver said he wished transit was an essential service.

"All of us just want to keep working, day in and day out," the man said.

Taxi drivers also hope a strike can be avoided.

"It's going to be like hell," said Doug Taylor, of Co-Op Cabs. "During (past job actions), drivers booked off work, went fishing and decided they weren't going to subject themselves to the aggravation."

Cab drivers said they only made an extra $50 to $75 a day during the last strike, and it was not worth the traffic headaches.

In anticipation of the possible job action, the city of Toronto passed a contingency plan last month. It calls for:

  • A parking ban from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on major thoroughfares to improve traffic flow
  • Opening up some bus-only lanes to make them carpool lanes
  • Free parking at 14 community centres and arenas to ensure there is ample parking for carpoolers

With reports from CTV Toronto's Naomi Parness and Janice Golding