STO cancels Winterlude shuttles, offers discount as labour dispute continues
CBC News | Posted: January 31, 2017 8:30 PM | Last Updated: January 31, 2017
Discount of 25% to apply to monthly passes, electronic daily fares
Gatineau's public transportation agency is offering bus pass holders and card holders a 25 per cent discount during a labour dispute that has had an impact on the daily commute in the capital region.
- Dozens of Gatineau bus routes cancelled as labour dispute continues
- STO not an essential service, board rules as strike looms
Bus drivers and maintenance workers began pressure tactics on Jan. 20 after collective agreement talks broke down with the Société de transport de l'Outaouais (STO).
While there could be a strike at some point, STO employees are for now only undertaking on-the-job pressure tactics for now — such as refusing to work overtime and special events, like Winterlude, and sending buses to the garage for any defect, no matter how seemingly minor.
The STO, in turn, has had to cancel of dozens of routes.
To compensate riders, the STO says a 25 per cent discount will be applied for January monthly pass holders, and again for those who purchase passes for February.
The fare for daily rides for STO customers using their pay cards will also drop while the labour action continues from $3.40 to $2.50, effective Feb. 1.
Gatineau Sno-bus cancelled
The STO announced on Tuesday it has cancelled its Sno-Bus shuttle service to the 39th annual Winterlude festival, which begins Friday.
The shuttle bus service normally provides free rides between the Robert Guertin Park-and-Ride and Jacques-Cartier and Confederation Parks.
The OC Transpo Sno-Bus, which connects Confederation Park to stops all along the Rideau Canal to Dow's Lake, is still expected to run.
The union, which represents 485 drivers and 115 maintenance workers, has said deteriorating working conditions and scheduling are the key issues in the negotiations
Corrections:- An earlier version of this article said daily fares would drop to $2.50. The fare decrease applies only to commuters using their STO pay cards, and not to cash fares. February 1, 2017 1:03 AM