Guelph and transit workers reach tentative agreement
Posted Aug 1, 2014 04:07:59 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A second tentative agreement has been reached to end the almost two week lockout at Guelph Transit, but service will remain suspended until the deal is ratified by both parties.
Word of the agreement got out early Friday morning. It follows two days of negotiations between the city and Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1189.
Guelph’s CAO Ann Pappert says they are hopeful that ATU’s membership will ratify the agreement so the tentative deal can be voted on by council.
Andy Cleary, President of ATU Local 1189, says they share an interest with the city to get the buses running as soon as possible.
Bus drivers will vote on the tentative deal on Tuesday. Workers were originally supposed to vote Thursday, August 7th, but the city of Guelph and the union expedited the process.
Voting will take place from 1:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. and will be followed by a closed session of Guelph City Council with the tentative agreement being the only item on the agenda.
City officials say once ratified, it takes a minimum of two days to bring Guelph Transit’s systems back into operational readiness. This includes inspection of the fleet and confirming scheduling.
No details about the contract will be released until both side have had the opportunity to ratify it.
