August 21, 2022 • 13 hours ago • 3 minutes read • 20 comments Amber Rankine sits in a chair on the fifth floor of her building at 470 Dundas Street that has been without an elevator for the past six weeks after TSSA inspectors went on strike. The owner of the building has placed chairs on each floor so that the tenants can rest. JONATHAN JUHA/The London Free Press
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Residents of a nine-storey building in central London say they are frustrated and desperate after a strike by inspectors with the Technical Standards and Safety Authority left them without a lift service for more than six weeks.
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Trouble for tenants at 470 Dundas St., managed by York Property Management, began last year when the building’s only elevator broke down just before Christmas for about a month, said resident Matt Welsh. After that, the elevator would randomly stop working for a day or two, Wells said. The situation prompted the management to modernize the elevator. However, while the work is complete, residents are still not allowed to use the lift until it is inspected by TSSA staff. “It’s frustrating,” said Wells, who lives on the seventh floor of the building that also houses seniors and other mobility impaired people. “This is not something that can go on like this.” TSSA safety inspectors, represented by the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), walked off the job on July 21 after contract negotiations with TSSA, which had been ongoing through 2021, were scrapped.
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The striking workers inspect amusement park rides, food trucks, elevators, fuel-burning equipment, boilers and pressure vessels and components at nuclear power plants, while providing support to police and fire services. Key issues in the negotiations include wages, benefits, understaffing and improved accountability for public safety standards and practices by TSSA. In recent weeks, Welsh said, he’s reached out to anyone he can think of for help — writing to city hall, local MPPs and even calling Premier Doug Ford’s office to no avail. “There’s nowhere to turn,” he said. Welsh is not alone in his frustration. “We don’t go out and walk as much anymore and we don’t have many visitors now,” said Amber Rankine, who lives on the eighth floor of the building.
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She said she and her boyfriend chose to do laundry only when absolutely necessary because the laundry room is in the basement of the building. Both Welsh and Rankine acknowledge the situation is beyond York’s control and the company has done what it can to help residents manage the problem, including hiring a porter to help residents carry heavy packages up the stairs and place chairs on each level so tenants can rest. climbing. York did not respond to a request for comment from The Free Press. Leo Tuusa, one of the striking inspectors and a member of the negotiating team, said he understands the frustration residents feel, but union representatives are “just trying to get a fair contract.”
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“We really want to get back to work,” he said. “We are passionate about what we do and know that we provide an important security service. But we also want to have a fair deal for all our members. “We don’t feel good that people are suffering and that the strike is affecting people in this way, but there’s really nothing we can do about it if our employer doesn’t want to come back to the table.” In an emailed statement, TSSA said it is using inspectors and has hired specialized third-party companies to help complete inspections during the strike. But as well as the work stoppage, the agency is also facing high demand from the region as London “seems to be booming”. The agency noted that the elevator in the Dundas building is scheduled to be inspected on Sept. 9 (Wells said the scheduled inspection was postponed), adding that the agency also prioritizes “residences with people living in the building.” “We are trying to minimize the impact on people and businesses as much as possible,” the statement said. For the Welsh, that is small consolation. “I know workers are on strike and TSSA is doing inspections but at a slower pace, but I’m curious what would be more important than that,” he said. “Looks like we’re shuffling below deck.” [email protected] Twitter.com/JuhaatLFPress
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