Labour talks at CN Tower stall as strike or lockout looms ahead of Canada Day: Unifor

Canada's largest private-sector union says labour talks it has had with the CN Tower have reached a standstill, raising the risk of a lockout or strike ahead of Canada Day.

Unifor says the impasse is with Canada Lands Company, which operates the tourist attraction in the heart of downtown Toronto.

The union represents about 250 full-time and part-time workers at the CN Tower, including hosts, wait staff, bartenders and a kitchen crew of chefs, cooks and butchers.

They've been fighting with their employer over a lack of pension improvements for more than 15 years and are seeking wage increases, solutions for some scheduling concerns, benefits and health and safety protections.

Unifor says the deadline to avoid job action is just after midnight on Monday, the day before Canada Day.

"If no deal is reached, workers could be locked out or go on strike, disrupting operations at one of Canada's most iconic landmarks during the height of tourist season," the union said in a news release on Friday.