Transit strike looms again in Winnipeg
20.08.2008 15:03
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- Source: cbc.ca
 Riders can find out the results of the vote Wednesday evening by visiting the Winnipeg Transit website or by calling Telebus at 287-7433.(CBC)Winnipeg bus riders are again facing the threat of labour action by city transit drivers and maintenance staff, who are voting on a new contract on Wednesday.
If the membership of the Amalgamated Transit Union local 1505 reject the contract, a strike could happen as early as Thursday, which could lead to "a complete suspension of transit services for an indefinite period of time," city officials warned Monday in a release. "We urge our customers to consider making alternate travel arrangements," officials said. The outcome of the vote will be posted on the Winnipeg Transit website and on Telebus at 287-7433 Wednesday evening. Winnipeg Transit expects that Handi-Transit service would continue as usual even if a strike occurs. In late July, the union, which represents about 1,000 bus drivers and 250 maintenance workers in Winnipeg, refused to work overtime for several days, forcing the city to cut 15 to 20 transit buses each day, affecting mostly morning rush-hour service. On Aug. 6, a special meeting of Winnipeg city council ratified a settlement with the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1505. All contract matters were resolved by mutual consent, except for provisions dealing with Sunday shifts for drivers, which were to be referred to arbitration. Initially, union leadership did not believe the contract required a membership vote for ratification, but they later learned a vote was required. The new agreement would see drivers and maintenance workers receive general salary increases of 2.0 per cent this year, 2.2 per cent next year and 3.0 per cent in 2010. Winnipeg Transit moves more than 130,000 people each weekday, city officials said. Almost 15 per cent of Winnipeg workers commute by bus, according to Statistics Canada. The last transit strike in Winnipeg was in the winter of 1976. It dragged on for 1 months. RelatedInternal LinksYOUR VIEW: What will you do if there's a strike?Bus drivers, city reach contract agreement in WinnipegExternal LinksWinnipeg Transit(Note: CBC does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of external sites - links will open in new window) Consumer HeadlinesFord Escape, Mitsubishi Outlander top SUV crash testsFour small sport utility vehicles received top scores in crash tests to be released Wednesday by the insurance industry, a sign of improvement compared with SUVs built earlier in the decade.Maple Leaf expands meat recall, closes Toronto plantMaple Leaf Foods is expanding a recall of its packaged meats and temporarily closing a Toronto plant that prepares the products. Parents give more reliable assessment of children's activity than kids: StatsCanParents seem to give a more accurate assessment of their children's activity levels than the children themselves, according to a Statistics Canada study released Wednesday.London, Ont., to ban bottled water on city premises despite beverage industry protestsCity councillors in London, Ont., have voted to ban the sale of bottled water on city premises despite protests from the beverage industry. Nike changes its ads after Chinese hurdler pulls out of raceNike quickly changed its advertising campaign around Chinese athlete Liu Xiang after he pulled out of the 110-metre hurdles in Beijing on Monday and disappointed millions of fans expecting him to defend his Olympic title on home territory. Consumer Life FeaturesIN DEPTHEnvironmentHealth Canada to evaluate pigments, solventsTECHNOLOGY'Make' it yourselfMagazine foments DIY revolutionSAFETYRecalls and AdvisoriesYOUR VOICEFound your calling?Tell us why your job is a dream job!BLOGFood BytesIn praise of old kitchen gadgetsBLOGComm-OdditiesBillionaire breaks real-estate record with $793M bidPeople who read this also read …
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