Members of the Dedicated Accessible Transit System (DATS) have given its union a strike mandate, demanding equal pay from the city.
The Amalgamated Transit Union Local 569 announced the strike mandate Monday.
This isn’t the first time DATS members have requested fair pay from the City of Edmonton: in 1995, independent DATS contractors asked the union to help them get out of the “job ghetto,” according to a statement issued by the union on Sunday.
“These workers were discriminated against by the city 25 years ago when they came to the union and the discrimination is still not eradicated,” said local president Steve Bradshaw.
“It’s time the city paid these workers the same wages they pay conventional transit operators.”
The union says DATS workers are paid $2.68 less per hour than “conventional transit operators.”
Only two paratransit operators out of 16 operators across the country are paid more than conventional operators, and nine others are paid the same, the union said. The other five, including Edmonton, are paid less.
“Progressive transit properties are recognizing that the work of a DATS operator is significantly more physical than that of a conventional transit operator and there is also a caregiver role attached to the job. These employers see the justice in paying the operators a premium for the extra work they do,” said Bradshaw.
There are about 130 DATS operators, both part-time and full-time, in Edmonton. They voted unanimously on Saturday for the strike mandate.
The union has an unresolved offer to settle with the city, which, if the city accepts, puts the issue to bed, Bradshaw told Global News on Monday.
If the city declines the offer, they are back to mediation, which is followed by a 14-day cooling period, he said.
After that, it’s up to the union to decide if and when to issue a three-day strike notice.
While it’s not set in stone, Bradshaw said the whole process is likely to take weeks.
“The city’s operating on the cultural biases of a previous generation. They need to put a stop to it, move forward, get these DATS operators a proper rate of pay and move on,” he said.
Zachary Weeks with Voices of Albertans with Disabilities said the affected community is reacting as is expected for a group of people who heavily rely on DATS services in their day-to-day lives.
“Needless to say, it’s a big issue for them,” said Weeks. “It’s going to impact them tremendously because it’s not like those using that service have the ability to jump into any old vehicle and get around the city.
“It’s equivalent to saying ETS is no longer running — you’re going to have to find your own way to medical appointments, the grocery store … Oilers games.
“I don’t think able-bodied folks would take too kindly if that was the case either.”
DATS drivers have additional training than regular operators, Weeks said, including knowing how to secure equipment and move people about safely.
There are comparable services to DATS, like low-rise buses and wheelchair-accessible taxis, but schedules, weather and costs make them far less accessible, he said.
In a statement to Global News, the City of Edmonton said it is committed to finding a resolution with DATS and the union, one that is “fair and equitable for ATU DATS, The City of Edmonton and taxpayers.”
“DATS Operators are valued City employees who provide important mobility services for Edmontonians with accessibility challenges. They play an essential role in ensuring their riders are safe and able to participate in an urban lifestyle,” the city said.
“The city has, and will continue to, bargained fairly and in a fiscally responsible manner.”
DATS services will not be affected while the meditation process is ongoing.
— With files from Sarah Ryan, Global News
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