TTC says it will use Bombardier cars finished by management

TheToronto Transit Commission says it will use subway cars recently shipped from Bombardier in Thunder Bay, where workers have been on strike since July 14th.

The statement comes Monday, after CBC News obtained a letter sent to a Uniforleader bythe political assistant to the chair of the TTC.

The emailfrom RobertAndreacchisaid"a shipment of 3Rocket cars was not accepted for deployment in our system due to their completion by management labour. They will sit in the Bombardier facility until this dispute is over."

But TTC spokesperson Brad Ross saidthat is not the case.

"That is not something TTC management has said. This dispute between Bombardier and its workforce is nothing to do with the TTC," Rosssaid. "We are a customer of Bombardier's."

Instead,Ross saidthe TTC is waiting for three more cars to be shipped so there is a full "train set"before putting all of them into use.

Union rejects latest offer

Unifor spokesperson Dominic Pasqualinosaidthe union rejected the latest offer from Bombardier over the weekend, because it doesn't address the key issue of pensions. He said the rejection came prior to Andreacchi's email.

In a news release, Bombardier described the offer as the company'sbest, last and most competitive.

"Bombardier Transportation is now reviewing alternative options as it seems that a new contract agreement will not be possible to achieve through a traditional negotiations process," said Bombardier spokesperson Stephanie Ash.