Tentative settlement in York Region Miller bus strike

TORONTO, Jan. 26, 2012 /CNW/ - Three months and two days after it began, a tentative settlement to end the Miller bus strike in York Region was reached today between Local 1587 of the Amalgamated Transit Union and Miller Transit, which operates part of the Region's bus service under contract to York Region Transit.

The settlement is subject to secret ballot ratification. A membership meeting to discuss the tentative settlement and conduct the ratification vote will be held as soon as possible, the union says. The Local 1587 bargaining committee is recommending ratification.

"Our members want to get back to work; they have since the strike began, which is why we offered to end the dispute through arbitration back in early November," says Ray Doyle, President of Local 1587.

"A lot is going to come out about the inaction of the elected leaders in the face of this civic crisis," Doyle says. "But right now our focus is on getting a good settlement ratified and getting the buses rolling.

"I can assure the riders that the union will cooperate fully in getting service at full capacity as quickly as possible. There will be time later to analyze why Regional Council was missing in action for three long months."

No details of the tentative settlement will be released until the ratification vote has been held. If the settlement is ratified, Miller bus service will resume in accordance with a schedule determined by the contractor.

This tentative settlement follows hard on the heels of the Viva settlement with ATU 113 last night. Still to be decided is the outcome of York Region Council's determination of what happens to the 92 drivers of First Student, whose jobs are in limbo since the Region cancelled the First contract.

"The union will be doing everything in its legal power to get essentially the same deal for these members and get them back to work, no matter who the contractor is," says Doyle.

"We are brothers and sisters. We do not leave our wounded on the battlefield."

Contact: Ray Doyle, 416-986-4103