TORONTO, March 30 (UPI) -- Toronto Transit Commission workers lost their right to strike Wednesday when the Ontario government voted to make transit an essential, uninterruptible service.
The Liberal provincial government rushed the bill through the Legislature to ensure it was in place before the current contract with the city and the Amalgamated Transit Workers' union expires Thursday at midnight, the Toronto Star said.
Transit strikes in the past are estimated to have cost the economy of Canada's biggest city at least $50 million a day, the Toronto Sun said.
The legislative 68-9 vote saw opposition Conservatives side with the Liberal government and all nine of the socialist New Democratic Party members voted against it.
Police and fire services are already designated as essential services and barred from striking.
As with those services, if the transit workers' union representing 9,000 workers can't reach a contract deal, a provincial arbitrator would be assigned to impose one, the reports said.
