Thousands of University of Toronto workers in strike position on Tuesday

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Thousands of University of Toronto administrative and technical staff are poised to walk off the job on the first day of classes.

According to United Steelworkers, 96% of ballots cast by workers in the U of T staff-appointed unit were in favour of a strike on Tuesday.

“U of T says it will find $20 million in savings next year by not replacing employees who leave the university,” John Ankenman, president of Local 1998, said in a statement. “That will worsen the heavy workload burden that many of our members already face. The university has not responded in a significant way to the union’s contract proposals that would lead to increased job security, which is our members’ number one non-monetary priority. We’ll keep fighting to win the protection they deserve.”

More than 6,100 staff are members of Local 1998.

Union remains at impasse on other issues

The USW represents IT workers, undergraduate and graduate program coordinators, academic advisors and lab assistants. The union has said the deadline for contract negotiations is just after midnight on Tuesday, after which it could call a strike.

The union said it remained at an impasse with the university on several other issues, including wage increases to keep pace with the rising cost of living, health-care benefits, remote work and artificial intelligence protections.

The union says the two sides remained “far apart after two months of bargaining.”

“An unprecedented number of members cast a ballot in favour of a strike mandate, and it’s notable that 75.1% of the staff appointed membership voted. That gives power to the union’s elected negotiating committee,” said Tamara Vickery, the local’s vice-president.

A spokesperson from the U of T provided a statement to the Toronto Sun in regard to the negotiations.

“The university values and respects the work of employees in USW Local 1998,” the statement said. “Over more than two decades, we have successfully negotiated numerous renewal collective agreements with the USW, and we look forward to ongoing constructive discussions with the union as bargaining continues.”

ganderson@postmedia.com