City TV is reporting that the union that represents TTC operators, the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 113 is in negotiations with the TTC for a new contract; the current one expires at the end of this month.

Should the ATU and TTC be unable to come to an agreement, we may be faced with a system-wide strike. The last labour action against the TTC occurred on May 29, 2006 when a wildcat strike shut down the system for most of the day. Unlike that action, which was met with newspaper headlines such as “SURPRISE”, the ATU has started making early rumblings. The TTC, for it’s part is echoing the calls of the City and saying that there are limited funds, and inferring that a tax hike, or even fare increase would be needed to pay for any expensive contract. The ATU is focusing on the benefit and working concessions that were included in the last offer.

Given the ‘bad blood’ between the ATU and the TTC during the term of the current contact, which not only saw a wildcat strike, but also the union suggest its members not enforce fare rules due to safety concerns, it’s not impossible that the two sides will be unable to hammer out a deal before the deadline. Should this happen, transit riders in Toronto could expect a strike sometime during the first two weeks of April.