A potential strike by transit workers in Peterborough, Ont., may have been averted Friday as the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1320 and the City of Peterborough reached a tentative new contract.
Union members will now vote on the deal at a ratification meeting to be held Saturday.
However, if the membership turns downs the offer, the union will proceed with a strike on Monday.
“I am pleased to announce that after long negotiations and unwavering solidarity from our members, we have reached a tentative agreement that not only honours the hard work and dedication of our workforce, but also sets a benchmark for fair and equitable treatment,” ATU Local 1320 president Cory MacLeod said after the tentative agreement was announced.
Peterborough chief administrative officer Jasbir Raina thanked the city’s bargaining team, the city council and ATU Local 1320 leadership for “their dedication to achieving a fair and reasonable agreement for Peterborough Transit workers and for our community.”
Both sides have been negotiating since May and contract talks broke down in mid-September with 99 per cent of the union members voting in favour of a strike mandate.
MacLeod served the city 72-hour strike notice early Friday morning stating the union would withdraw service Monday morning at 12:01 a.m. leaving the city’s fleet of buses parked.
ATU Local 1320 represents 103 full-time staff and 20 part-time employees at Peterborough Transit, which services nearly four million passengers per year.
The details of the agreement will not be made public until after ratification by the union and city council.
Comments