Toronto Zoo to stay shut during staff strike

400 workers have been off the job since Thursday

The Toronto Zoo and its 5,000 animals will be off limits to visitors as long as more than 400 unionized employees remain off the job.

“The zoo will remain closed while CUPE Local 1600 members are on strike,” said Jennifer Tracey, the zoo’s senior communications director, in an email Friday.

The gates have not opened since workers, including zookeepers, groundskeepers and maintenance staff, walked out early Thursday following the breakdown of negotiations for a new contract.

The attraction, which is also an internationally recognized research and breeding facility, cancelled school and corporate events until the end of next week. Tracey earlier said that the animals’ meals continue to be prepared by the zoo’s nutritionist and delivered to parts of the site where other managers, including veterinarians, are caring for them.

No date has been set for negotiations to resume between the union and zoo management.

Christine McKenzie, the CUPE local’s president, said management’s desire to erase one clause is all that stands in the way of a settlement.

The two-decade-old provision says the zoo must have a minimum of 150 permanent, full-time employees. It currently has 183 such staff, plus more than 170 seasonal workers, McKenzie said.

“It was born out of health and safety concerns as to how many people you need in the workforce to run a zoo that’s safe for the staff, the animals and the public,” McKenzie said.

Tracey said the zoo is “resolute” that it will not renew the minimum staffing provision.