ATU Local 1189 Warning the Public of Possible Service Disruptions
GUELPH, ON – After filing for a No-Board report with the Ministry of Labour when negotiations with the City of Guelph broke down, the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1189, representing approximately 260 Transit professionals at Guelph Transit, is advising the riding public that interruptions to public transit services could take effect as early as the beginning of November.
“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,” said ATU Local 1189 President/Business Agent Scott Bate.
The parties remain miles apart from a deal – and there are no additional days scheduled to bargain before the deadline, but ATU 1189 is ready to meet anytime in the interest of getting a fair deal done for its members.
“While we have no way of predicting what next steps the Employer is contemplating, we believe it’s important to let riders and the general public know: if a disruption to transit occurs at the beginning of November, it will 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. It will not be an action taken lightly by the ATU,” Bate continued.
“Our negotiations team knows how important transit service is to our community, and we deeply care about those who depend on us, so we are fully committed to getting this contract settled at the bargaining table by reaching the fair deal that our members deserve – but 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.”
Frustrated by a lack of progress with negotiations, Guelph Transit workers voted 99.5% in favour of a strike if it becomes necessary.
After months of negotiations, it has become clear that the City of Guelph has no interest in giving their transit workers the fair and just contract they deserve,” said ATU International President John Costa. “The ATU International, with our more than 200,000 members across North America, support our Local 1189 members in their struggle.”