On Saturday, the Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 1505 and the City of Winnipeg reached a tentative deal.
Since Tuesday, May 18, drivers have been refusing overtime, putting stress on the city’s transit system.
The overtime ban has been lifted, effective immediately, however, an offer of settlement must still be ratified by both the ATU membership and city council.
Winnipeg’s transit union has been in talks recently over labour disputes with the City of Winnipeg.
Up to 31 routes saw late or cancelled buses last week because drivers were refusing voluntary overtime for weeks.
Winnipeg Transit carries over 130,000 riders each weekday and employs approximately 1,100 bus operators along with about 250 maintenance staff.
The Amalgamated Transit Union President, John Callahan, said the overtime ban also included bus mechanics.
He said that it created a backlog of buses that need to be fixed and could cause service disruptions for six months to a year, even if the overtime provision was lifted right away.
Winnipeg Transit expects service to operate normally soon, once this backlog of bus maintenance is dealt with.
The Amalgamated Transit Union says more information will come in the coming days.
Transit users can check for schedule times and information on Winnipeg.ca, or by contacting 311 by phone.
