GO Transit workers vote to ratify new agreement

The union representing some 2,200 GO Transit workers says its members have voted to ratify a new tentative agreement with Metrolinx.

“After half a year of bargaining and a four-day strike that stalled GO Transit bus service throughout Ontario, the 2,200 members of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1587 have ratified a strong tentative agreement that addressed the Union’s safety concerns and contracting out issues,” a press release issued Friday read.

ATU Local 1587, which represents GO bus operators, station attendants, maintenance workers and other staff, said members passed the deal with 77 per cent approval.

“It had been endorsed unanimously by the Local’s Executive Board,” the release read.

The parties reached a tentative deal on Nov. 12.

1:54 Union representing some GO Transit workers calls on Metrolinx to get back to bargaining table

In a statement emailed to Global News, Metrolinx confirmed the deal had been ratified.

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“We are very pleased the ATU 1587 membership voted in favour of the tentative agreement finalizing the three-year contract,” the statement read. “Bus operators, station ambassadors, transit safety and office staff all returned to work last Friday and GO bus services successfully resumed on Saturday.”

Rob Cormier, president of Local 1587 said members “proved that they were willing to go to the mat to protect good union jobs for themselves and future generations of GO Transit workers.”

John Costa, ATU International president, said he is “proud of our GO Transit members.”

“When I stood on the picket lines and attended rallies, I saw firsthand their strength, unity and solidarity. Before their strike, our members did not know where they would be working in a few years,” Costa said. “They had no assurances as to their wages, safety on the job, or anything else.”

Costa said the workers now have “job security and the guarantee that their new roles after the transfer would pay them wages equivalent to or greater than their current pay.”

More to come…