Road

BELLEVILLE—Wage increases and benefits enhancements were part of a new collective agreement ratified today by a vote of Unifor Local 1839 members working at Belleville Transit.

Dear members,

Recap: last year upon the completion of provincial bargaining, the public health restrictions in place meant we did a one-year roll over collective agreement that was ratified by the membership with a wage increase that expired on March 31, 2022. 

BELLEVILLE—The bargaining committee for Unifor Local 1839 signed a tentative agreement with Belleville Transit before the midnight deadline avoiding strike action.

“Front line transit workers in Belleville have reached a fair settlement that respects the hard work and vital services they provide to the community,” said Chris Macdonald, Assistant to the Unifor National President. “My congratulations to the bargaining committee for their hard work.”

WHISTLER—By removing its latest offer from the bargaining table and suggesting binding arbitration, the employer in the seven-week long Sea to Sky transit dispute has ensured that the parties are farther from reaching a conclusion, not closer.

“PW Transit squandered weeks of progress with their stunt today,” said Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor Western Regional Director. “The employer’s stubbornness on fair wages has set negotiations back weeks, if not months.”

BELLEVILLE—Mayor Mitch Panciuk used his YouTube channel to deliver deceptive comments about the city’s bargaining with transit workers represented by Local 1839, says Unifor.

“Either the mayor is out of the loop or he is misleading his constituents about the state of play in transit bargaining,” said Chris Macdonald, Unifor Assistant to the National President. “His comments are inaccurate and will only damage the already tense negotiations created by his human resources team.”

WHISTLER—Negotiations in the Sea to Sky region transit dispute came to a halt this evening after the employer refused to agree to any plans for eventual wage parity with Metro Vancouver transit operators. 

Unifor Western Regional Director Gavin McGarrigle and senior staff joined the talks today to end the 48-day transit strike covering Squamish, Whistler, and Pemberton. 

“Progress was made but there must be a roadmap to wage parity,” said McGarrigle, referring to the massive gap between the corridor’s transit workers and those in Metro Vancouver. 

BELLEVILLE—After concessions were tabled during contract negotiations, Unifor Local 1839 members have voted 100% in favour of taking strike action if bargaining doesn’t produce a tentative agreement by April 1, 2022.

“Seeking concessions from front-line workers is shameful,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National Secretary-Treasurer. “Transit workers have earned a fair contract and we will accept nothing less.”