Post by kelvin on Sept 25, 2008 21:37:17 GMT -5
www.citynews.ca/news/news_27233.aspx
Thousands of commuters in York Region were looking for another way to and from work Thursday after VIVA bus drivers walked off the job first thing in the morning.
The buses remained locked up in a yard in Newmarket and drivers took to the picket lines. Though a tentative last-minute deal was hammered out Sunday between Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113 and Veolia Transportation, which operates VIVA buses, that agreement was struck down by union members on Wednesday. Sixty-one per cent voted against ratification.
The main issues continue to be sick days, scheduling and wages. Bus operators are asking for a three percent pay increase for each year of a three-year contract.
"We are a democratic union and our members have spoken," said Bob Kinnear, President of ATU Local 113, which represents the 165 bus operators.
"Veolia management knew that the strike would begin tomorrow if their offer was turned down and I have informed them of the results of the vote."
VIVA is one of several private companies contracted out to provide transportation service to York Region - VIVA runs along major arteries and connects commuters with TTC stops.
But at least one driver, Vip Sukhram, asserts wages aren't the major sticking point.
"For all of us, wages have never been the issue here at all as being reported in all of the media. The issues are working conditions. We're having to work upwards of 14 to 15 hours a day here while only being paid for eight hours of work," he says, referring to split shifts drivers reportedly work.
Sukhram and his colleagues were off the job as of 4am Thursday, meaning 35,000 riders were forced to use other methods of transportation to get where they needed to be. Many turned to other York Region bus routes contracted to a different company - but buses were overcrowded and many had longer than usual waits.
"We can't replace 90 buses," admits York Region Transit General Manager Don Gordon. "Even though each of the VIVA corridors is underlined with local YRT services, they operate at limited frequency."
For riders turning to the local service, that was just more bad news.
"Well, pretty unfortunate considering the amount of people that take the VIVA system," rider Leigh Schmidt opined. "A lot of people are going to be stressed out."
Layla Assaf added, "I'm a full time worker downtown so I usually take the VIVA since I live in Richmond Hill."
But Frank Grimaldi, an ATU executive, says it's not his workers' fault that the region isn't prepared for the strike.
"We certainly had given plenty of notice," he insists. "It was their responsibility to tell people that this could possibly happen."
On Thursday officials urged commuters to try and arrange a lift through a carpool, through the website Smart Commute.
No new talks are scheduled between the two sides, so riders could be out of luck for some time.
"We thought that a deal had been achieved," Gordon added. "It could be back to square one in terms of negotiations. Could take some time to resolve."
TTC, GO Transit, and VIA Rail are all running as usual.
For more information, contact York Transit at 1-866-668-3978.
Alternatives to Viva
Thousands of commuters in York Region were looking for another way to and from work Thursday after VIVA bus drivers walked off the job first thing in the morning.
The buses remained locked up in a yard in Newmarket and drivers took to the picket lines. Though a tentative last-minute deal was hammered out Sunday between Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113 and Veolia Transportation, which operates VIVA buses, that agreement was struck down by union members on Wednesday. Sixty-one per cent voted against ratification.
The main issues continue to be sick days, scheduling and wages. Bus operators are asking for a three percent pay increase for each year of a three-year contract.
"We are a democratic union and our members have spoken," said Bob Kinnear, President of ATU Local 113, which represents the 165 bus operators.
"Veolia management knew that the strike would begin tomorrow if their offer was turned down and I have informed them of the results of the vote."
VIVA is one of several private companies contracted out to provide transportation service to York Region - VIVA runs along major arteries and connects commuters with TTC stops.
But at least one driver, Vip Sukhram, asserts wages aren't the major sticking point.
"For all of us, wages have never been the issue here at all as being reported in all of the media. The issues are working conditions. We're having to work upwards of 14 to 15 hours a day here while only being paid for eight hours of work," he says, referring to split shifts drivers reportedly work.
Sukhram and his colleagues were off the job as of 4am Thursday, meaning 35,000 riders were forced to use other methods of transportation to get where they needed to be. Many turned to other York Region bus routes contracted to a different company - but buses were overcrowded and many had longer than usual waits.
"We can't replace 90 buses," admits York Region Transit General Manager Don Gordon. "Even though each of the VIVA corridors is underlined with local YRT services, they operate at limited frequency."
For riders turning to the local service, that was just more bad news.
"Well, pretty unfortunate considering the amount of people that take the VIVA system," rider Leigh Schmidt opined. "A lot of people are going to be stressed out."
Layla Assaf added, "I'm a full time worker downtown so I usually take the VIVA since I live in Richmond Hill."
But Frank Grimaldi, an ATU executive, says it's not his workers' fault that the region isn't prepared for the strike.
"We certainly had given plenty of notice," he insists. "It was their responsibility to tell people that this could possibly happen."
On Thursday officials urged commuters to try and arrange a lift through a carpool, through the website Smart Commute.
No new talks are scheduled between the two sides, so riders could be out of luck for some time.
"We thought that a deal had been achieved," Gordon added. "It could be back to square one in terms of negotiations. Could take some time to resolve."
TTC, GO Transit, and VIA Rail are all running as usual.
For more information, contact York Transit at 1-866-668-3978.
Alternatives to Viva