Strike looms as Metro Transit talks end

Contract talks at Metro Transit have broken off ahead of Thursday's strike deadline.

Ken Wilson, president of Local 508 of the Amalgamated Transit Union, said negotiations ended at 11 a.m. on Tuesday when Metro Transit managers walked away after a short meeting.

"The employer walked away from the table. That's exactly what happened," he told CBC News.

"They gave us an offer on the 29th of January and they're not prepared to move from that offer."

Wilson said the union presented a counter-offer on Monday night but it wasn't accepted. The union is not giving in, he added.

"It's not about money," Wilson said. "It’s about protecting and maintaining."

Wilson said there are still about 70 issues to hammer out. But one of the big ones involves scheduling.

Many of the workers now have flexibility in picking shifts, based on seniority. Wilson said Metro Transit wants to set more rigid work schedules.

"Over 80 per cent of ATU members are divorced. So the last thing we're going to do is give up something that affects our quality of life," he said.

"Let us stay involved in our communities, let us be able to be there for our families. How can you tell someone that's gotten a certain type of day off and a certain level of work — for 25 years of their life — all the sudden they can't get that now."

Workers offered 4 per cent raise over 2 years

Mayor Peter Kelly said he did not know that the talks had stalled.

"If they have, they have not advised us that they have," Kelly said Tuesday on his way to the Halifax regional council meeting.

He said he didn't know what was holding up the negotiations, adding that as far as he's concerned, the municipality has conceded to the union's demands.

"They have asked for no contracting out. That was removed. They have asked for no part-time transit drivers, that's been taken out. They've asked to be the highest paid in Atlantic Canada — they are," Kelly said.

Metro Transit said it still hopes to reach an agreement.

Eddie Robar, director of HRM's transit service, said their offer addressed the union's concerns. The union wants a raise of three per cent per year over a three-year contract and the municipality offered four per cent over two years, he said.

While the union's proposal would amount to $10 million over three years, Robar said the municipality's scenario would cost $1.8 million in the same time frame.

There are no talks planned before Thursday, when transit workers could legally walk off the job.

Metro Transit said it's making contingency plans for the 45 people who rely on its services to get to a dialysis clinic for regular treatments.

The bus and ferry workers voted 98.4 per cent in favour of a strike in a vote last week.

Metro Transit runs more than 3,200 bus trips a day and moves about 90,000 passengers on an average weekday, according to the company's annual service plan.