Winnipeg Transit workers set strike deadline

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This article was published 28/11/2023 (681 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

As labour action disrupts routes and ridership, the union representing Winnipeg Transit bus drivers has set a Dec. 11 strike deadline.

Transit employees (including mechanics, technicians, clerical and support workers) could walk off the job on that date if a deal isn’t reached first, said Chris Scott, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1505.

ATU 1505 membership has voted to reject two tentative agreements thus far, despite the endorsement of union leaders.

While the union is seeking more feedback about members’ specific contract demands, Scott said staff generally feel their efforts aren’t being properly acknowledged.

“They worked through the (COVID-19) pandemic and are stepping up with overtime, time away from their families, to make sure that the service is out there as much as possible (to meet) public demand. And they feel now that the city is not properly recognizing it,” he said Tuesday.

While the City of Winnipeg has added driver safety shields to its buses and will soon begin operation of a community safety officer program, Scott said many operators still believe Transit isn’t acting quickly enough to address on-the-job dangers.

“With the situation (drivers are) working in right now, the safety and violence on the service, they’re not properly being compensated for it… We want (a safety team) properly implemented, but that process has to be expedited.”

The Transit security force was initially expected to start up this year, which has been bumped to early 2024.

“(These delays are) what my membership has seen year after year after year,” said Scott.

Meantime, bus riders are coping with a surge in cancelled buses after a union ban on voluntary overtime took effect this week.

Transit was unable to provide about 477 hours of service (or 8.4 per cent) of 5,685 total service hours Monday: 58 buses did not operate during morning rush hour and 72 didn’t arrive during afternoon rush hour.

On Tuesday morning, Transit couldn’t provide about 143 hours of service, while 41 buses did not operate.

Some short-term cancellations were already happening due to an ongoing driver shortage, though with much lower frequency. For comparison, 49 individual buses did not operate over nine days between Sept. 1 and Oct. 20.

Winnipeg’s chief administrative officer said municipal negotiators are prepared to resume bargaining, but the past rejection of two tentative agreements is complicating the talks.

“This is unprecedented in recent memory, for sure, where both times the leadership has recommended its acceptance and twice (the deal) has been rejected. So, clearly, there is some misalignment in terms of what we are discussing at the bargaining table versus what is important to the membership,” Michael Jack said.

The CAO urged the union to “pause” all labour disruptions, including the overtime ban, due to that challenge.

“At this stage, we don’t have any clear indication from ATU what the issues are, what the sticking points are, why these agreements have been rejected. Until we get that clarity, labour action simply doesn’t make sense,” he said Tuesday.

A strike would force regular bus service to cease, the CAO added.

“The service would stop… There is no plan to use replacement drivers and the undertaking wouldn’t be feasible.”

Jack noted the city has taken numerous steps to make buses safer.

In recent years, Transit equipped buses with safety shields, surveillance cameras and external emergency warning messages (which can be displayed on digital signs, as needed). It also hired more Transit inspectors, increased driver training and is preparing to add the new security team, he said.

“I think any observer can tell that the City of Winnipeg is taking operator and passenger safety very seriously and will continue to make improvements.”

The union and the city declined to share details of the offers proposed thus far.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

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