GUELPH POLITICAST #440 - The Wheels Off the Bus? (feat. Scott Bate)

Guelph Politicast

If you think traffic and travel are bad now, it might not compare to what awaits if Guelph Transit workers go on strike, or are locked out by the City. It could be worse. In so much as these things never happen at the best possible time, it might be even worse for Guelph Transit now as they hit new ridership records and try to justify increased expenses as City Hall is looking to save pennies. So is transit job action a foregone conclusion?

You may remember the last time there was job action around Transit. It was late summer 2014 and Guelph ended up going more than two weeks without a transit system. Ten years ago, the city was different. This was before the 99 Mainline, before Conestoga was more of a draw, and before Guelph Transit broke two different ridership records in the same year. A shutdown stemming from job action will throw all that progress away.

So what’s at stake? Basically, the workers are looking for a cost of living increase and a pathway to a better work-life balance. Driving around town is hard enough, but trying to put a happy face on City policy, maintaining customer service, proctoring fares and helping people find their way using an app that Transit has no investment in? Is it so surprising that workers are looking for a raise?

Scott Bate, who is the president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1189, will join us this week to lend some insight into these matters. He will tell us about a day in the life of a transit worker, what they’re bargaining for, and why they don’t plan on accepting any concessions from management. He will also talk about what’s going to happen when time runs out for the no-board report, and why they’re trying to get the word out early about a potential job action.

So let's talk about job action on this week's edition of the Guelph Politicast!

The no-board report expires on November 7 at which point the union can strike, the City can lock them out, or the whole thing might go to arbitration. So what way is it going to go? We’ll have to wait and see, so stay tuned to Guelph Politico for any updates and keep on an eye on the social media feeds of both the City of Guelph and Guelph Transit respectively.

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