The City of Winnipeg is pushing back against the union representing transit workers amid an ongoing labour dispute and contract negotiations.
On Thursday the city announced it’s implementing new measures that impact transit drivers schedules and seniority.
The city’s chief corporate services officer Michael Jack said beginning Saturday drivers will no longer be able to trade shifts or switch vacation time. They will also be assigned routes, as opposed to choosing based on seniority.
He said this change is being made to get the city’s final contract offer accepted before fall.
“This isn’t a retaliatory move . This move is being instituted solely to get to a negotiated collective agreement. This is simply to provide tht incentive to get this thing done,” said Jack.
But the Amalgamated Transit Union isn’t buying it.
It said it’s disappointed by the city’s decision, and calls the move an unfair labour practice. The union vowed to use all options available to stop it.
“I guess the city finds it easier for them to intimidate the operators than fix the problems they're facing out there each and every day, " said ATU President Aleem Chaudhary.
The ATU is in a legal strike position.
The previous collective agreement expired on Jan. 12, 2019. Since then the city has provided the ATU with four offers to settle.
The latest offer will be voted on by ATU members starting on Sunday.
