The TTC’s largest union says it has cancelled an agreement that allows employees to work overtime, a decision that could leave the transit agency short-staffed within a matter of days.

TTC management and Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113 have an agreement that allows members to work 64 hours a week, which is longer than the 48 hours spelled out in the Employment Standards Act. Both sides must agree to the deal in order to extend it.

In a letter sent to management on Friday afternoon, the union, which represents nearly 11,000 transit employees, said it wouldn’t agree to extend the arrangement past April 30. Unless Local 113 reverses the decision, the TTC could find itself without enough workers at the end of the month.

The move comes as the two parties have reached an apparent impasse in negotiations for a new contract.

Because the province has designated the TTC an essential service, its employees aren’t legally allowed to strike.

Frank Grimaldi, president of Local 113, denied the union was rescinding the overtime agreement as a way of pressuring management into making concessions, and claimed the decision had nothing to do with contract talks.

“The two are unrelated,” he said in an interview.

According to Grimaldi, union reps have been concerned, for some time, that the TTC is using the overtime provision to avoid hiring more workers and to leave some positions vacant. He said that would make it easier for the TTC to privatize some positions at the agency.

“It’s pretty clear that they want to keep these jobs open in order to contract out,” he said.

In a brief statement, TTC spokesperson Brad Ross described the overtime arrangement as mutually beneficial.

“The agreement provides TTC employees (members of ATU Local 113) with the ability to earn overtime, while the TTC is able to save on certain service costs, mostly on weekend closures,” he said.

Ross wouldn’t say what the impact on transit service would be if the agency isn’t able to ask employees to work overtime. “The TTC is reviewing the implications of this change now,” he said.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

The TTC’s collective bargaining agreement with Local 113 expired March 31. On Tuesday, the union accused management of “walking away from the bargaining table.”

The TTC says it has asked the ministry of labour to appoint a conciliator to help the two sides reach a fair agreement.