The union representing more than 18,000 municipal inside workers has scheduled a strike vote for Tuesday.
In a news release, CUPE Local 79 president Tim Maguire said the decision to call a strike vote was not made lightly.
"We are not holding a vote because we want to stop working," he said. "We are doing it because we want the city to start talking."
Maguire said the union is frustrated that the city "has not budged" on concessions affecting both full- and part-time city employees.
CUPE Local 79 represents the city's planners, clerks, social service employees, janitors, ambulance dispatchers, public health nurses, child care workers and court service staff, among others.
Union members have been working without a contract since Dec. 31, 2011.
