ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — On Thursday, 82 per cent of Metrobus bus drivers and maintenance staff voted to reject the current offer from the City of St. John’s.
Paul Churchill, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1462, says he hopes further negotiations will help avoid a strike.
“We’re hoping to get back to the table to see if we can resolve this issue,” Churchill said. “If there’s no agreement met, we will be on strike Oct. 5.”
On Tuesday, Coun. Dave Lane said there is “still some wiggle room” with regard to the current offer.
Lane, who is a city council representative on the St. John’s Transportation Commission, which runs Metrobus, said the major sticking point was over an increase to the number of paid days an employee can accrue over the years.
Currently, Lane says, when members of the ATU Local 1462 retire, they get a day of pay for each year they work.
“So, say it’s 10 years, they get 10 days' worth of pay,” Lane said. “They want that benefit to match the same benefit with other city unions, and other city unions are getting up to five days.”
Lane says that while it sounds reasonable, this particular benefit is one amongst many, and benefits vary “across the board.”
While he respects the perspective of the union, the outcome of the vote is disappointing, Lane said.
“We’re looking at a significant deficit in the next year and years,” Lane said. “We have to make some very difficult decisions this year for 2021 and beyond. We’re just not in an environment where we can be enhancing benefits to agreements.”
While the city is keeping that particular option off the table, it hopes to explore others.
“If they come back with something different, we’re absolutely open,” Lane said. “But we have to see what they have to offer.”
