Calgary News Watch

Commuters can release the breath they’ve been holding since the talks between Calgary and the transit union began to get nasty. Union members voted 69% to accept the city’s last minute deal.

In perhaps what is a fitting finale for this upheaval, Mayor Dave Bronconnier described the majority of the union members (1,464 voted) were in support of the deal which offered a 12% pay raise. He also points out that perhaps the bus and the C-Train drivers didn’t really want to strike after all.

“I don’t believe our employees really wanted to go on strike – they wanted a fair settlement and they got one.”

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While the loom and doom of this year’s transit strike may well be averted, certainly the bitterness left over from the long 11 month battle will not go away so easily. All is not settled yet; if the union members don’t vote to accept the contract, they can once again give 72 hours notice.

The question remains, what has been learned by all this? In 2001, transit workers went on strike for 49 days. This time was a close call, and may still be.

Negotiations, if effective, should not allow contract talks to reach this boiling point.

As you recall, the beginning of the month brought ads in newspapers with each side slamming the other in turn– a prime example of a toddler’s “She hit me first” excuse. (more…)

There is hope on the horizon. The possibility of a transit strike may be averted.

The city and the transit union have potentially reached a deal. The two have hashed out a deal this Wednesday, May 30, after two and a half days of talks.

It wouldn’t be voted on until Friday afternoon. The strike was voted on and scheduled to start on Friday. Union officials will unveil the new proposal to the 2,400 workers, mechanics and office staff Thursday.

Mike Mahar, president of the union, isn’t letting any of the details out of the bag until the workers have seen the proposal. (more…)