Toronto council to vote on strike deal

TORONTO, July 31 (UPI) -- Limited emptying of Toronto street garbage bins began early Friday, hours before the city council was to vote on ending a 39-day-old strike by 30,000 workers.

Two locals of the Canadian Union of Public Employees representing 24,000 inside workers and 6,000 outside workers, including garbage workers, voted Wednesday and Thursday to accept the city's contract offer.

At 12:01 a.m., collection trucks rolled out and workers began emptying some 5,000 overflowing street-side garbage bins even though council hadn't approved the contract, the Toronto Sun reported.

Mayor David Miller came under fire from conservative councilors over the contract's 6 percent pay increase over three years and the controversial issue of bankable sick days.

Miller initially said the sick day provision would be eliminated and workers would be covered instead by a short-term disability plan. However, the new deal only forces new hires into the disability coverage and allows existing workers to opt out.

The strike also shut down ferry service, municipal swimming pools and daycare centers and summer youth programs.