Strike planning underway by union for GO Transit bus drivers, station attendants

The union representing GO Transit bus drivers, station attendants and safety officers has begun planning for a strike amid stalled labour negotiations with Metrolinx, representatives say.

As CityNews reported in mid-September, a “no-board” report was issued by the Ontario Ministry of Labour, clearing the way for either a legal strike by Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1587 members or a lockout by the Ontario government as of Oct. 1.

The biggest outstanding issue, union officials said, is job security.

“Frustrated by the total lack of progress at the bargaining table with Metrolinx, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1587 has declared that its 2,200 members will be going on strike in the coming weeks in October unless a deal is reached,” a statement issued Friday afternoon said.

Local 1587 president Rob Cormier said they met with Metrolinx officials on Oct. 3 but noted there was no progress. He said the acting chief operating officer for Metrolinx “once again showed up empty-handed without any binding proposal offering any amount of protection against contracting out.”

“Metrolinx has been wasting our time for months and has made zero offers addressing our priority issue, which is a binding language that would provide our members with greater job security and protection against contracting out,” the statement said.

Cormier previously told CityNews that Ontario’s Bill 124 had hindered the ability to negotiate increases that keep up with inflation and that there have been minor improvements to the work-life balance issues union officials raised.

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“Our workers have spoken up. We’ve seen stuff go out the door that was done previously by us, and we just want to make sure that work stays ours,” he said on Sept. 20, adding their concerns primarily affect new hires.

“We have some language that protects those on the job right now, but it gives the employer to potentially contract out stuff we currently do so long as our members aren’t laid off because of it. So we’re just looking for some security for the future.”

In the statement issued Friday, Cormier said local union officials agreed not to strike before Thanksgiving but that “the riding public should prepare for possible disruptions to their commute in October.”

The union said members from ATU locals in Hamilton, Mississauga and Brampton “have the right to refuse to cross picket lines enshrined in their collective agreements, and the Local representing TTC workers has requested that the agency not ask its workers to cross any GO Transit picket lines.”

During an August vote, ATU Local 1587 members voted 93 per cent in favour of going on strike if a deal couldn’t be reached.

CityNews contacted Metrolinx Friday afternoon to ask for comment, but a response wasn’t provided by the time of publication.

A Metrolinx spokesperson said in September negotiations with ATU Local 1587 were ongoing and that provincial officials were “hopeful” an agreement would have been reached by the Oct. 1 deadline.

“As these conversations continue, we want to assure our customers that GO Bus services are continuing to operate as scheduled,” they said in a brief statement at the time.