No public bus service in Oakville as transit workers begin strike

Oakville Transit workers began strike action today after failing to reach an agreement with the town for wage increases that are in line with inflation.

As of 5 a.m. on Thursday, picket lines went up across the town as transit employees went on strike after not reaching a satisfactory agreement with the Town of Oakville.

“We're not looking to make big gains here. We're just looking to get our members a fair deal so that they can put, you know, food on the plate and, you know, their hydro. Everything's going up, today's economy, the way things are, we can't sustain our life this way,” Alice Kelly, president of Unifor Local 1256 told CP24.

There is currently no regular bus service or Home to Hub service in the town, and Oakville Transit’s specialized care-A-van service will operate for medical trips only with dialysis appointments given first priority.

The transit workers say they are seeking wage increases that reflect inflation, additional sick days and better benefits for casual workers.

On Feb. 8, the town said it reached a tentative three-year agreement with Unifor, the union that represents Oakville transit workers, however, the majority of employees rejected the settlement in a ratification vote on Feb. 13.

Unifor Local 1256 represents 179 transit operators in the Oakville region.

Town officials said there are no scheduled talks with Unifor members at this time but that the town “remains willing and prepared to meet with the union to reach a resolution.”

“We are extremely disappointed that Unifor members turned down the very competitive and fair settlement that their bargaining team recommended. We remain optimistic the union will come back to the bargaining table to reach a reasonable resolution,” Phoebe Fu, Oakville community infrastructure commissioner wrote in a statement on Thursday.

A 72-hour strike notice was given by Unifor members on Feb. 14 and strike action began today after no other offers were brought to the table.

A group of picketers were seen chanting and holding signs Thursday morning on Wyecroft Road, near Fourth Line and South Service Road.

Bus driver Sean Lukas was at the protest and said the main goal is to make a liveable wage that is in line with other rising costs.

“All we're looking for here is just to be able to put food on the table and look after our families. That's the main goal. We're not looking to make a ton of money, we're looking to look after our families,” he said.

Lukas added that transit workers are facing increasing rates of assaults while working, which needs to be addressed by the town.

“One of the things we have an issue with here is once an assault has occurred on the vehicle, the passenger, in some cases, is allowed to stay on board the bus, which is unsafe for both the driver and the fellow passengers, and that's something we need to get changed,” he said.

Yesterday, a Toronto transit bus driver sustained serious injuries after being stabbed while on the job, and a week ago another TTC employee was stabbed multiple times in the back while on his way to work.