Toronto's city councillors have voted to accept a deal reached with two civic unions following a strike that lasted nearly six weeks.
The vote happened shortly before 7 p.m. on Friday night. Councillors voted 21-17 in favour of the deal between the City of Toronto and Locals 416 and 79.
Following the vote, Mayor David Miller released a statement saying he was glad that a deal could be reached with the two unions, and he thanked Torontonians for their patience during the strike.
"I am very pleased Council approved the agreements and recognized the achievements made during bargaining," said Miller said. "The City took on tough issues in these negotiations that had been left unaddressed in previous agreements by former Toronto governments. I know this has been a difficult time for everyone, and I want to again thank Torontonians for their patience and support during the strike."
According to a news release from the city, the approved deal will provide the workers with raises of 1.75, two, and 2.25 per cent between 2009 and 2011.
The deal also phases out the existing sick leave plan, which allowed workers to bank their 18 sick days per years and cash them out for up to six months pay at retirement.
The sick plan's fate was a major point of contention during the strike. The city will now partially pay out the existing accumulated sick days and will not allow new hires to bank their sick days. Current staff will either move to a new short-term disability plan or remain in the current plan.
The city claims that the reduction in its liability for the banked sick days will save taxpayers $140 million over the next five years.
The councillors began debating the matter at 9:30 a.m. on Friday when Miller urged his fellow council members to vote in favour of the settlement.
"I urge you members of council: This is fair, reasonable, responsible, affordable. It met all of our bargaining goals...vote for these collective agreements, end this strike, let's get our city back to business," Miller said.
Meanwhile, city workers began cleaning up Toronto's streets and emptying some of its 5,000 garbage bins for the first time since the strike began June 22.
The workers were not going to begin cleaning up the estimated 25,000 tonnes of trash at transfer stations or temporary dumpsites until city council ratified the deal.
Geoff Rathbone, the city's manager of solid waste, says he hopes garbage bins at city parks will be cleared by Sunday evening.
