A union representing 250 striking transit workers in the Region of York will resume contract negotiations on Friday, raising new hope that an end to a six-week-long strike could be heading to a conclusion.
Amalgamated Transit Union 1587 responded to the request of a provincial mediator to return to the bargaining table with Miller Transit to hammer out a new deal.
ATU Local 1587 and two other unions went on strike on Oct. 24, shutting down some 60 per cent of York Region Transit's bus routes.
Talks broke down after the workers turned down Miller Transit's last offer on Jan. 6.
"Our members sent a very clear message to this private contractor that their last offer fell very wide of the mark to get a settlement," Ray Doyle, president of ATU Local 1587, said in a statement.
"We will listen to what they have to say tomorrow. Our members want to get back to work but it has to be on terms that recognize and respect the value of the work they do."
Doyle added that the union is willing to end the strike immediately if management agreed to binding arbitration.
Another union that represents about 200 workers employed by Veolia Transportation rejected their latest contract offer on Tuesday and no further talks have been scheduled.
On Monday, York Region terminated its contract with First Canada, the third company involved in the labour disruption. First Canada operated 29 YRT/Viva routes in northern York Region.
