Mayor John Tory says the city will approach contract talks with the union that represents workers at Toronto's public parking agency on the premise that those employees are "well-treated."
"The people who work in the Parking Authority ... are well-compensated, they have good jobs with better job security, in many respects, than most other people," Tory says.
He wouldn't wade into conversations about what might happen should both sides not be able to find common ground.
Unionized workers at the Toronto Parking Authority voted in favour of a strike this week, should an agreement not be reached on a new collective agreement.
Union officials say members voted 95.8 per cent in favour of a strike, but it isn't clear how many members cast a ballot.
The previous collective agreement expired earlier this year.
CUPE says it has concerns about stagnant wages and deteriorating working conditions.
“Our members were nearly unanimous – they refuse to be intimidated into accepting a contract that degrades the quality of jobs this community depends on,” says CUPE 416 chairperson Sav Daskalakis.
The Parking Authority minimizes the union's support for a strike, with officials stressing that they "remain hopeful" that a compromise can be found in time to avoid a labour disruption.
In a written statement, the agency stresses, "this is a normal step in the collective bargaining process and does not mean there will be a strike at the TPA."
Another round of negotiations is set for Friday.
The union workers help maintain Toronto's public parking lots and street meters, which account for more than 56,000 parking spots across the city.
The TPA raises about $120 million per year for the city's budget.