Brampton buses to resume service as union allows them to cross picket lines

Buses return to regular service in Brampton on Saturday as striking city workers have agreed to loosen picket lines at transit facilities.

Some 1,200 workers represented by CUPE Local 831 have been on strike since Thursday and set up picket lines outside transit buildings, preventing buses from exiting.

It has resulted in significant transit delays across Brampton. Brampton Transit operators are not part of CUPE Local 831 but are represented by ATU Local 1573, which confirmed there had been no bus service due to the picket lines.

On Friday evening, CUPE Local 831 President Fabio Gazzola said his union “will be relaxing the strike lines.”

“So, we’ve heard the comments from the residents and the intent was never to have a disruption. All CUPE wants is a fair and equitable deal, and we’re looking forward to going back to the bargaining table,” said Gazzola.

“That’s why I’m here before the transit supervisors basically to let the public know that we will be relaxing the strike lines and that the buses will be out on the route tomorrow.”

• Here’s a list of services affected by the Brampton city workers strike

The union’s decision comes hours after Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown told CP24 that the city was exploring legal action if bus service continued to be disrupted.

“Particularly, (what) irritates me is the fact that CUPE has picketed and stopped our transit operators from going to work. Our transit operators want to work,” Brown said.

“They’ve been lined up for two days in a row trying to report to work, and they’ve been prevented from doing so. Transit is a critical service for our city, and this is an unfair labour practice.”

The mayor said he respects the union’s right to strike, but blocking buses is unfair to residents.

“The city won’t accept this,” Brown said. “We are going to pursue every legal avenue before us, and that includes pursuing an injunction to get this critical service returned. It’s simply not a fair labour practice what we’re seeing right now.”

Union demands ‘out-of-whack’: mayor

At the picket lines, striking workers held signs, including one that reads, “Why is there always money for management but not for workers?”

Gazzola has said the city’s latest offer does not match the wage increases non-union employees received, which has been the main sticking point in contract negotiations.

He noted the union was locked in for a five-year deal and fell behind wages

The mayor has claimed the increase included in the city’s offer is fair, saying it matches what CUPE workers in Mississauga got this summer – a three per cent wage increase over four years.

“Right now, our local CUPE is asking for demands that are completely out-of-whack with what we’ve seen accepted elsewhere. But those are essential workers who don’t have the right to strike and there’s danger pay inherent in their profession,” Brown said.

“We’re a little bit frustrated why we’re seeing such a significant disruption when the city has negotiated in good faith for nine months.”

Brown urged the union to get back to the bargaining table so a deal could be reached.

“Let’s sign the same deal that was signed in Mississauga just a few months ago. And if CUPE Mississauga thought it was a great deal, then why can’t CUPE in Brampton sign that very same deal?”

Meanwhile, the CUPE president has said the workers’ demands are reasonable. Gazzola argued that Brampton workers are in a different situation than those in Mississauga.

“It’s not quite an apples-to-apples comparison. The City of Mississauga has 250 unionized employees. The City of Brampton has 1,200. The classifications are far more extensive. The areas of work are vast in comparison to the three areas in Mississauga,” Gazzola told CP24 on Friday.

He also disputed that the union wanted a contract similar to the city’s emergency services.

“We’ve made many comparisons internally to non-union staff but that’s kind of the basis of some of the conversations. It wasn’t a straight-up comparison,” he said.

“Our enforcement officers face dangers every day, as well as other front-line workers. That’s something the city seems to kind of want to ignore or avoid.”

Gazzola would not provide the specific figure his union is looking to get, saying he does not want to negotiate outside of the bargaining table.

On Thursday, Brown warned Brampton could be in for a long labour disruption. When asked on Friday how far apart the two sides are, Gazzola did not directly answer, but said he was “optimistic” that a deal could be reached.

Like the mayor, Gazzola wants to return to the bargaining table.

“I’ve had the same phone number for 15 years. They should call me, I’ll answer it. All we want to do is get back to the bargaining table. We’ve worked on weekends, through the night. And we didn’t want one day of strike, let alone two,” Gazzola said.

“We’re committed and very optimistic to achieve the ultimate goal of getting a contract.”