Transit Windsor strike action on pause: union
Transit Windsor buses continue to run as usual while officials with the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 616 and the City of Windsor continue to negotiate a new contract.
“Our members are our priority and the traveling public are a priority,” said ATU International vice president, Manny Sforza, at a news conference held outside the Windsor International Transit Terminal Tuesday.
Union officials confirm the special events buses will continue to run on Sunday when the Detroit Lions host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Ford Field in the Divisional Round of the playoffs.
“We don't want to want to inconvenience the public, but again, our priority is to get a fair deal for our members,” said Sforza. “We continue to evaluate our strike position, hour by hour, day by day.
One of the key stumbling blocks in negotiations, according to the union, is federal sick days.
The federal government is mandating workers get 10 paid sick days.
ATU officials tell CTV News that will cost the City of Windsor an additional $1.7 million.
“It is the city’s position and Transit Windsor’s position that our members should be paying for these sick days out of the wage package we are bargaining at the table,” said Sforza. “Our members are angry. They're frustrated and they want to be recognized for the work they do.”
The Union is now threatening to file a complaint with the federal labour relations board.
City of Windsor Engineer, Mark Winterton, would not comment on any specific issue but that he is ‘looking to get back to negotiating’.
Talks are scheduled to continue Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
If the union decide to strike they will issue a 72-hour notice but they remain optimist going into this weekend.
“Let's work together. Let's get a fair deal,” said Sforza.
Special events bus running for Lions game
City officials confirm the special events bus will be running this weekend for the Detroit Lions game at Ford Field on Sunday, Jan. 21, and registration is open.
The Detroit Windsor Tunnel was cancelled last weekend due to a 72-hour strike notice issued by
Amalgamated Transit Union Local 616, but with the notice rescinded and talks ongoing, regular transit service continues in all facets, including the special events bus.
Important Information:
Seating capacity is limited, and passengers will not be accepted without a reservation.
The fare is $20 per person for a round-trip ticket.
Your special event ticket is only valid on the special event bus. Special event tickets are not valid on the regular tunnel bus.
After you have successfully paid, you will receive a confirmation email containing a QR code to check in on the day of the event.
Tickets cannot be picked up until 24 hours prior to the event.
Please arrive at Windsor International Transit Terminal, 300 Chatham Street West, thirty (30) minutes before your reserved time.
Proceed to a customer service clerk and present your QR code. You'll be given a pass to use on the bus for boarding in Windsor and when returning from Detroit. One ticket is issued per person.
Special event boarding is on the east side of the terminal.
In-person walk-ups will be accepted if there are seats remaining on the bus.
Returning from Detroit:
Return trip times are dependent on the conclusion of the event.
The last bus will leave no later than thirty (30) minutes following the conclusion of the special event.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.