TORONTO - GO Transit and union representatives will meet Friday morning for talks with a third-party conciliator in an attempt to avert a strike that could leave thousands of Ontario residents without a lift to work.
"The meeting is good news,'' GO Transit spokeswoman Stephanie Sorensen said Thursday afternoon. "As long as we're talking, there is hope that we can avoid a strike.''
About 30,000 commuters use GO buses daily, and if a deal isn't reached, 1,200 bus drivers and other front-line staff will walk off the job Monday at 12:01 a.m.
GO Transit rail service, which serves 165,000 daily riders, will continue to run because it is operated by a different union, the company said in a statement.
However, the company added that train service could be affected if employees walk off the job, and advised riders to buy their monthly passes in advance to avoid ticketing lineups in the event of a strike.
Talks between the transit company and Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1587 broke down last month after an offer by GO Transit was rejected by 69 per cent of union members.
Union representatives would not comment on the talks Thursday afternoon, but union president Denis Tanham has said previously that GO drivers earn about $25.46 an hour -- about $1 less per hour than Toronto Transit Commission drivers.
Tanham also recently told staff they should complete their shifts on Sunday evening so as not to leave any commuters stranded.
