Buses running as Saskatoon Transit union plans to meet Sunday

Members to decide whether to vote on city's latest offer

Image | Saskatoon Transit

Caption: Local union president Jim Yakubowski said if members vote on the contract proposal, the union executive will recommend it be rejected. (Chanss Lagaden/CBC)

Buses are still running as the union representing Saskatoon Transit employees plans to meet with its members Sunday.
The Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 615 and the City of Saskatoon have been without a collective bargaining agreement since 2012.
Talks between the city and the transit union broke down earlier this week after the two sides couldn't come to terms.
"We're going ahead with a meeting with our members on Sunday to discuss the most recent offer and we'll be making some determinations on a go-forward basis whether or not to vote on that contract or not," local union president Jim Yakubowski said following an essential services tribunal hearing Friday.
Sunday's meeting will also determine what, if any, strike action is taken by members if they don't accept the proposal.
Yakubowski said if the membership does vote on the city proposal, the executive will recommend that the membership reject the offer.
While the city and union seem to have made progress on where each side stands on wages, the outstanding issue continues to be the pension plan.
The ATU has been clear that it will not be able to come to terms with the city until differences surrounding the pension plan are resolved.