City considers transit union counter-offer
Posted Feb 28, 2012 06:57:13 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Some HRM residents say, reluctantly, it may be time for the city to make a concession on the scheduling issue that has kept striking Metro Transit workers on the picket lines for nearly a month.
The Amalgamated Transit Union has sent a counter-offer to Metro Transit director Eddie Robar, which will be discussed in a closed-door meeting at the weekly regional council meeting this afternoon.
The major point of contention for both sides continues to be a scheduling system called rostering, which the city says could save millions of dollars in overtime costs, if approved.
The ATU’s offer does not include rostering but it does include several suggestions on how to handle shifts which are currently being dealt with through overtime.
Commuters in Halifax on Tuesday morning say they don’t want the city to agree to anything that will cost taxpayers more money.
“Whatever’s best for the city, whatever’s cheapest, whatever saves them money,” said another man.
“Right now I don’t think the city should give in,” said one woman. “The transit strike, on average isn’t affecting too many people.”
“I really’d like to see them stay off and let them suffer it out,” said another man. “I don’t make their kind of money and I work all night long.”
However, the same commuters acknowledge the strike is hurting some of the city’s most vulnerable residents – and said it’s time to get the buses back on the roads.
“It’s time to get buses back on the road, ultimately,” said one. “(The city) should make a concession.”
“I do feel sorry for the people that don’t have it, I think they should settle it,” said another man.
Metro Transit workers walked off the job Feb. 2. They voted 78 per cent in favour of rejecting the city’s final offer last week.
