London Transit set to strike
Riders ready your hitchhiking thumb, or be prepared to beg for rides from your car-owning friends — bus drivers are planning to go on strike November 16.
After about a five-minute meeting a week ago, when no additional offers were made from management and bargaining at a standstill, it pushed the Amalgamated Transit Unit Local 741 into a position where they set a final strike date.
“We're forced into a position we don't really want to go,” said John Gillet, vice-president of the union. “We personally hope the public understand we really don't want to be in this position.”
The union is looking for concerns over employee safety, scheduled breaks, and better pay to be met by management at London Transit Commission.
“We were asking for a fair market value for what we do,” Gillet explained. “We took a look at other companies. There are smaller properties that carry 12 million a year and get $1 to $2 more in comparison to London operators who carry 23 to 24 million.”
The union has noted that the “door's always open” if management is willing to begin negotiating again, he added.
Despite the lack of effective negotiations, one area where both sides do agree is driver safety. Since busses withdrew voluntary services and passengers were made aware of delays, there have been numerous incidents of violence — at press time, over six.
“Regardless of the circumstances, we do not tolerate violence towards our drivers',” said Larry Ducharme, general manager of the LTC. “We ask passengers not to take out their frustrations. You do not abuse people.”
Both sides are also aware of the massive inconvenience a bus strike will cause London citizens — particularly the nearly 12,000 Fanshawe students who use public transit. The union had been in a strike position for two weeks before announcing their strike date to prevent the stopping of their services in hopes management would be willing to talk, said Gillet. However, while there is no scheduled talk as of yet, the LTC is letting bus-riders know they need to start planning for the long-term as the strike is not expected to be short.
“This may be counter-productive but…when situations like these occur, you have to look at alternatives,” said Ducharme.
Most recently, the college released a statement indicating that they were looking for alternate methods of transportation for those students who will be requiring it.
If you'd like to voice your concerns over this strike, feel free to contact your city councilor. See information on http://www.london.ca/d.aspx?s=/City_Council/default.htm but be warned that London's City Hall has been legally advised to not participate in either side of the strike.
After about a five-minute meeting a week ago, when no additional offers were made from management and bargaining at a standstill, it pushed the Amalgamated Transit Unit Local 741 into a position where they set a final strike date.
“We're forced into a position we don't really want to go,” said John Gillet, vice-president of the union. “We personally hope the public understand we really don't want to be in this position.”
The union is looking for concerns over employee safety, scheduled breaks, and better pay to be met by management at London Transit Commission.
“We were asking for a fair market value for what we do,” Gillet explained. “We took a look at other companies. There are smaller properties that carry 12 million a year and get $1 to $2 more in comparison to London operators who carry 23 to 24 million.”
The union has noted that the “door's always open” if management is willing to begin negotiating again, he added.
Despite the lack of effective negotiations, one area where both sides do agree is driver safety. Since busses withdrew voluntary services and passengers were made aware of delays, there have been numerous incidents of violence — at press time, over six.
“Regardless of the circumstances, we do not tolerate violence towards our drivers',” said Larry Ducharme, general manager of the LTC. “We ask passengers not to take out their frustrations. You do not abuse people.”
Both sides are also aware of the massive inconvenience a bus strike will cause London citizens — particularly the nearly 12,000 Fanshawe students who use public transit. The union had been in a strike position for two weeks before announcing their strike date to prevent the stopping of their services in hopes management would be willing to talk, said Gillet. However, while there is no scheduled talk as of yet, the LTC is letting bus-riders know they need to start planning for the long-term as the strike is not expected to be short.
“This may be counter-productive but…when situations like these occur, you have to look at alternatives,” said Ducharme.
Most recently, the college released a statement indicating that they were looking for alternate methods of transportation for those students who will be requiring it.
If you'd like to voice your concerns over this strike, feel free to contact your city councilor. See information on http://www.london.ca/d.aspx?s=/City_Council/default.htm but be warned that London's City Hall has been legally advised to not participate in either side of the strike.
