A free ride.
Some Winnipeg bus drivers handed out pamphlets downtown Monday, letting riders know it's up to them on Tuesday if they want to pay their fares.
"We're just calling it job action day where our operators will not be enforcing the fairs and they will not be informing that the fares will be paid,” said Aleem Chaudhary, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union.
In the middle of contract talks with the city, the Amalgamated Transit Union says it's taking job action. On Tuesday drivers will not enforce or inform riders of the obligation to pay fares, meaning people can ride for free if they so choose.
"Whenever I go on the bus I'm always paying and others don't, so it would be nice one day not to pay," said one rider
"I would honestly just pay my fare, I'm an honest man," said another rider.
Without a contract since January, the union says it was time to act on behalf of its members.
"They're not happy, and they want respect and they want to go on with negotiations and come down to a contract," said Chaudhary.
A month ago the union voted 98 per cent against the city's latest offer. Mayor Brian Bowman says negotiations were supposed to continue Monday.
"We were surprised the meeting was cancelled and just given the fact that the discussions have been productive in recent weeks," said Bowman.
Michael Jack, chief corporate services officer, City of Winnipeg, says the job action by the union is illegal, a notion the union disagrees with.
"They've been very clear with the public and their members that they do not have strike sanction as a result of the last vote, so to be encouraging their members to take job action tomorrow runs afoul of that," said Jack.
In a memo to drivers obtained by CTV News, the city says it expects bus drivers to inform passengers of proper fares.
"Any failure to follow the responsibilities of your role...may result in disciplinary action," states the memo.
"For any city employee who shows up and doesn't do their job properly there are always possible consequences," said Jack.
