Central Okanagan transit workers' union, employer reach tentative contract
First Canada hopes to have buses running by Thursday
The Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1722 has reached a tentative contract agreement with employer First Canada, according to the company that runs the Kelowna Regional Transit System.
The union will present the terms of the agreement to its membership on Wednesday, said First Canada spokeswoman Meribeth Burton.
"If all goes well, then First Canada will likely have transit service up and running as early as Thursday," Burton said.
"First Canada management has been maintaining the buses, keeping them running and making sure that they are in good order with the hope that this would come about sooner rather than later."
City of Kelowna helped broker deal
The deal was reached with the help of Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran and City of Kelowna staff, according to First Canada.
"I think the difference maker was absolutely the intervention of the City of Kelowna," Burton said.
"Yesterday and again today, they had staff going between the two parties."
Transit workers went on strike Nov. 10, suspending all public transit in Kelowna, West Kelowna, Lake Country and Peachland except for certain essential service clients on the HandyDart system.