Transit drivers weren’t getting paid during Bomber games — and the union wants to fix that

Committee recommends ending union concession to forgo pay while waiting for fans

Advertisement

Advertise with us

A civic committee is being asked to endorse a recommendation for city hall to absorb $87,000 this year as a result of the end of a concession from transit drivers who weren’t being paid while waiting for CFL games to be played at IGF Stadium.

Read this article for free:

or

Already have an account? Log in here »

To continue reading, please subscribe:

Monthly Digital Subscription

$1 per week for 24 weeks*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles

*Billed as $4.00 plus GST every four weeks. After 24 weeks, price increases to the regular rate of $19.00 plus GST every four weeks. Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.

Monthly Digital Subscription

$4.75/week*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles

*Billed as $19 plus GST every four weeks. Cancel any time.

To continue reading, please subscribe:

Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional

$1 for the first 4 weeks*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles
Start now

No thanks

*Your next subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $16.99 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $23.99 plus GST every four weeks.

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 30/04/2018 (2726 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A civic committee is being asked to endorse a recommendation for city hall to absorb $87,000 this year as a result of the end of a concession from transit drivers who weren’t being paid while waiting for CFL games to be played at IGF Stadium.

An administrative report to Tuesday’s public works committee meeting states that transit operators driving charter buses carrying fans to the stadium made a concession in 2013 when the IGF Stadium opened, agreeing to forego the pay they were owed to them while waiting for the game to be played.

The report states the union gave notice at the end of December that it is no longer willing to operate under that concession and wants drivers to be paid for the layover time.

JESSICA BURTNICK/WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES
Bombers fans pile onto buses at the conclusion of the inaugural Winnipeg Blue Bombers game at the new Investors Field Field in 2013.
JESSICA BURTNICK/WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Bombers fans pile onto buses at the conclusion of the inaugural Winnipeg Blue Bombers game at the new Investors Field Field in 2013.

Normally, Winnipeg Transit would have passed that cost onto the Winnipeg Football Club, but an administrative report recommends city hall absorb that cost for this year only because notice hadn’t been provided to the football team.

Aleem Chaudhary, president of ATU Local 1505, said the concession was made to help the football club transition to the new stadium and to help Transit secure charter service for fans wanting to get to the game.

Chaudhary said the union now feels both the stadium operation and the football club no longer require the concession and the terms of the collective agreement should be honoured.

The Winnipeg Football Club last week reported a profit on the 2017 season of $5.1 million, an increase of $2.3 million from the 2016 season.

The team also reported it has paid city hall $3.8 million since 2013 for charter transit services.

The report says Transit will bill the football team for the full cost of charter services beginning with the 2019 season.

While the committee will consider the recommendation, the final decision rests with council.

aldo.santin@freepress.mb.ca

Report Error Submit a Tip

Local

LOAD MORE