Full bus service in York Region could resume in nine days after members for one of three unions voted in favour of a contract offer, while another union reached a tentative agreement on Thursday some three months after the strike first began.
Workers from Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113 voted 77 per cent in support of their latest contract offer. The union represents approximately 220 operators and mechanics employed by York BRT Services.
The union reached a deal Tuesday with Veolia Transportation, which operates the Viva bus service under contract with York Region Transit for five routes in the region.
Service to those routes is expected to resume on Feb. 4.
"They want to get back to doing what they do best and that is servicing the people of York Region," Bob Kinnear, president of Local 113, told CP24. "You could see there was a lot of enthusiasm in the room to the fact that they are going to get back to work and that the employers substantially improved their most recent offer of a week ago."
Details of the four-year deal were not released.
Meanwhile, ATU Local 1587 and Miller Transit reached a tentative agreement as well, increasing the likelihood of full service resuming in York Region shortly.
Ray Doyle, president ATU Local 1587, said the workers will hear details of the agreement at a meeting tentatively scheduled for January 28.
"After long, arduous discussion, management has finally come forward with a reasonable offer which is all we have asked for from the beginning. We have asked for a reasonable offer; reasonable benefits for these workers and I'm very proud of the members who have stood strong and gave us this opportunity to negotiate on their behalf," he told CP24.
Bus drivers and mechanics represented by three unions walked off the job on Oct. 24, shutting down service to 60 per cent of the region and stranding some 44,000 commuters. The main sticking point in the lengthy strike was benefits.
"Today's vote is a win for both the riders who will see Viva service restored and the operators who return to work with a fair offer," York Region chairman Bill Fisch said in a release.
Also on Thursday, the region said it awarded a contract to TOK Transit Ltd. for the operation of YRT/Viva's North Division starting Feb. 4. The contract with First Canada was terminated last week.
Once full service resumes, passengers will be given free rides for at least one month, a promise the region made during the lengthy strike to appease frustrated riders.
