Codiac Transpo union awaits city's next move

The head of the union representing Moncton bus drivers says he won't be surprised if the city locks out his members.

George Turple, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1290, says now that the union has ignored the city's Wednesday 4 p.m. deadline for what the city called its final offer, he expects such a move.

Turple says he believes it would be a reaction to an unfair bargaining complaint lodged by the union against the city.

"Why? Because they feel if they lock us out, everything will get resolved and there'll be no hearing at the board and this will never come out," Turple said.

"But it is going to come out."

The union says the city agreed on a deal more than a year ago, then backed out.

City spokesman Paul Thomson has denied the union members' claims that there had been a previous agreement.

With municipal elections set for next month, Turple says it would give the union a platform to let people know exactly what the city is doing to prevent a fair agreement.

"There's an election going here. And so we're going to deal with the election and so on. Hopefully, there'll be some new faces on council that will have a different approach and maybe an honest approach."

Wednesday's contract offer included a wage increase of 13.75 per cent over a five-year term. The offer has been withdrawn, according to the city, and any future offer will be less.

The union is requesting a 23 per cent wage hike over five years, which would bring a driver’s annual salary to $55,120 in 2015, according to the city.

The union has already voted 94 per cent in favour of a strike but said workers won't walk off the job without ten days notice.

Codiac Transpo operates in Moncton, Dieppe, Riverview and Lakeside.

The company says it provided 2.5 million passenger trips in 2011.

Thomson told CBC News Wednesday that council will soon meet to consider its options now that the final offer has been rejected.