Transit strike averted in Thunder Bay

ATU reaches deal with city after marathon bargaining session

The wheels on the bus will continue going round and round in Thunder Bay, Ont., after transit drivers reached a deal with the city.

On Jan. 19, the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 966 reached a tentative deal with the City of Thunder Bay, narrowly avoiding a strike. Transit workers would have been in a legal position to walk off the job the very next day.

“The deal was achieved through a lot of patience and negotiation. We had a marathon situation on our hands,” said Sheila Kivisto, president of the local ATU chapter. “We were at the bargaining table for 28 hours straight. We did it for our riders.”

The union will now turn its attention to collective bargaining for Lift Plus – the specialized door-to-door transit system the city acquired this year.

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