Item - 2019.EX7.31

The Executive Committee:

1.  Established a Collective Bargaining Subcommittee with a mandate to provide direction and a bargaining mandate to the City's bargaining teams in negotiating collective agreements relating to the City and to consider updates on the progress of collective bargaining, and appoint the following members of Executive Committee:

Deputy Mayor Denzil Minnan-Wong, as Chair
Councillor Ana Bailão
Councillor Frances Nunziata
Councillor Gary Crawford

The City's collective agreements with CUPE, Local 79 ("Local 79") and TCEU, Local 416 ("Local 416") expire on December 31, 2019.  It is anticipated that collective bargaining with both locals will commence in the Fall of 2019. The City will establish two bargaining teams that will bargain with both Local 79 and Local 416 (collectively the "CUPE Locals"), in parallel.

The City's preparations for collective bargaining has commenced through consultations with the City's Operating Divisions in order to identify their key issues and the City's priorities for bargaining.  The bargaining teams will engage in further strategic discussions over the summer to identify the City's priorities and develop the recommended mandate to be presented to a subcommittee, if established, in early September. 

In previous terms of Council, the Employee and Labour Relations Committee was responsible for providing the strategic direction to staff in negotiating City collective agreements and considering updates on the progress of collective bargaining.  However, City Council added these responsibilities to the Executive Committee's mandate in its decision on Recalibrating City Council's Governance System for 26 Members, Item CC1.1 http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2019.CC1.1

The report contemplates the Executive Committee establishing subcommittees from time to time for specific purposes. Establishing a subcommittee to provide direction to the City's bargaining teams will expedite the process of obtaining the collective bargaining mandate, allow the bargaining teams flexibility in obtaining strategic direction, allow staff to respond quickly to the bargaining process and to schedule updates for the subcommittee as the bargaining process requires.