Bus routes are based on repetition — driving a bus around the same loop again and again.
For that reason, there’s a certain symmetry to having arrived at the same spot as four years ago with respect to a contract with transit union employees. In three months, somewhat unbelievably, Saskatoon Transit employees will once again be without a contract.
It might be the pain medication, Andrew Taylor jokes — but the Hamilton man is convinced he met an angel.
It was last Tuesday, Dec. 20. He had gone to the barber for a shave, and then stopped at the LCBO to pick up a bottle of wine. His daughters were home for an early Christmas dinner and his wife was busy at home in the kitchen.
As he headed home on Main Street East near the traffic circle, Taylor, 52, slipped on the ice.
Congratulations to ATU Local 1722 on the great work they were able to
accomplish for the community.
Good morning Brothers and Sisters:
A legendary day in the Central Okanagan is now in the history books. Our members should be proud of what we accomplished yesterday. The City of Kelowna washed their hands publicly of having anything to do with our negotiations with First Canada. A picket that our members conducted across Hardy Street in front of the City Works yard was respectfully honoured by all unionized city CUPE members. CUPE 338 President Lee Mossman and Vice President for the outside workers Larry Oakley joined us on the picket line and supported our cause. CUPE members parked their work vehicles where they could (in the street and in adjacent parking lots) and were permitted to cross into the yard on foot to get their personal vehicles and leave unobstructed. We are very thankful for the support and respect that CUPE members showed on this day. The city is now on notice that we need their pressure to get First Canada to negotiate a fair deal and to quit bargaining in bad faith.
Today, November 11th, we are asking all members to report to the picket line in some sort of Union apparel (nothing with First name on it please). Most importantly, please remember to wear your poppy as close to your heart as possible! We will attend Remembrance Day ceremonies to honour those men and women that fought to protect the very rights that we are exercising to get a collective agreement. No picket signs will be worn at the Remembrance Day events and all members are asked to not comment or talk about our labour situation while attending out of respect for our fallen veterans.
If any members took pictures on the line, or at any of the external picket sites (Queensway, UBC Okanagan, Orchard Park bus loop) please email them to newsfeed@atu1722.ca and we will add them to the online gallery that we have started.
Global Okanagan and other media outlets have been getting our story out there. Links below are provided.
In Solidarity we stand with you,
ATU 1722 Executive Board
http://infotel.ca/newsitem/city-of-kelowna-has-few-options-in-transit-strike/it36646\
http://globalnews.ca/okanagan/videos/#
http://www.castanet.net/edition/news-story-180611-1-.htm#180611
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91dACO_qRKA
https://www.kelownanow.com/watercooler/news/news/Kelowna/16/11/10/Transit_strikers_say_management_is_unreasonable_but_hope_for_quick_end_to_strike/
INFORMATION SHEET ON WORKING TO RULE
Your executive has served notice to the employer that in the event an agreement that we can recommend acceptance to is not achieved then we will engage in a work to rule and ban on overtime directive to our membership that would start at 12:01 am Saturday November 12, 2016. The employer has since given us an offer wanting us to simply sign their pension proposal and then await the arbitration ruling. We proposed that if we lose our pension arbitration ruling then we could accept their proposal. But in the event we win the arbitration ruling ,then they would sign our pension proposal. It is obvious that they are not confident they are going to win the arbitration case because they have failed to accept our proposal. Hence your directive to the executive is to engage in job action . The intent of this directive is to provide the employer further incentive to resolve our outstanding collective bargaining agreement. We believe that there is no alternative other than to act now to send a clear message that we are united and strong in our quest for a fair collective agreement. If you have any questions, please contact a Union Steward or the Office for clarification.
Some Saskatoon bus routes will see less frequent service after the local transit union commenced labour action Saturday morning.
Routes 17, 5 23, 86 and 12 will all have reduced service Saturday, according to a service alert put out by the city.
“Transit administration may not be aware of all immediate job action but will make efforts to inform the public of delays or disruptions as the information is made available,” the alert said.
The Amalgamated Transit Union Local 615, which represents all of Saskatoon’s transit workers, announced a no-overtime/work to rule job action Friday. The move came after the latest in a long series of unsuccessful negotiations with the city, with proposed pension changes being the main sticking point.
Striking Central Okanagan bus drivers were heartened by displays of support shown them by some idled passengers.
Since the transit operators walked off the job last week, a half-dozen members of the public have joined them on the picket line at the city’s main bus yard.
“It was nice to see when these people came out, all on their own, to walk with us,” local union president Scott Lovell said Sunday. “We made them honorary members of our union.”
That bit of brightness aside, however, there have been no other significant developments since the strike began last Thursday. Contract talks between the union and First Canada, the company that runs Kelowna Regional Transit, have not resumed.
“We haven’t heard anything from the company, apart from a few complaints about where and how some of our guys are picketing,” Lovell said.
Nevertheless, the mood among the 217 members of the local chapter of the Amalgamated Transit Union remains upbeat, he said.
“The members are very positive. Spirits are good,” Lovell said. “They just want to be treated fairly.”
First Canada has offered a three-year contract with raises totalling 2.5 per cent. In addition to that, the union is looking for wage adjustments it says would add another 1.5 per cent to the company’s total wage bill.
The start rate for bus drivers is about $16 an hour, rising to $26 for operators with the most seniority.
Kelowna drivers are paid about 15-20 per cent less than in Vancouver and Victoria, the union says, with the difference even higher when other monetary-related issues, like the lack of a pension, are considered.
There is a union strike fund the drivers can draw on, but they won’t get paid for the first two weeks of the work stoppage. After that, the payments will be only about $150 a week, Lovell said.
“It’ll help, but it’s pretty minor compared to our regular wages,” he said. “Right now, we’re doing what we can for members ourselves, taking up a collection for people who need some extra help.”
Job action by members of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 615 is affecting some Saskatoon Transit routes on Monday.
City officials said the refusal of drivers to work overtime will affect the following routes and has forced one route cancellation later Monday afternoon:
Officials said all other buses on Route 22 are expected to maintain regular service from the downtown terminal.