November job action looms at Guelph Transit with talks ‘miles’ apart

Getting around Guelph could become a lot more difficult in November.

According to the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1189, which represents transit workers in the Royal City, negotiations with the City of Guelph broke down, and the two sides are “miles apart from a deal” with “no additional days scheduled to bargain before the deadline.”

ATU Local 1189 represents about 260 workers with Guelph Transit. The union has since filed a no-board report with the Ministry of Labour.

“Let me be clear, we are committed to ensuring that our passengers are kept informed and are not left scrambling or stranded at bus stops, so the ATU will not withdraw our service or take direct strike action without giving a 3-day notice to our Riders,” Union President Scott Bate said in a release.

Though Bate acknowledges they are aware of how important public transit service is to the community, it says any work disruption would be “a direct result of the Employer refusing to negotiate a fair contract and the City’s refusal to stop bringing concessions to the table.”

“Guelph Transit must come back to the table prepared to make an offer that meets the needs of our transit workers. If not, our members are prepared to do what is necessary to get a fair deal,” adds Bate.

Guelph Transit workers have voted 99.5 per cent in favour of a strike.

In an email statement to 570 NewsRadio, a media representative for the City of Guelph says, “The City remains committed to the collective bargaining process. We have appreciated the discussions we’ve had with ATU over the last few months. Our focus is on continuing productive discussions toward a successfully bargained collective agreement.”