KITCHENER -- Waterloo Region and the Grand River Transit union have agreed to resume their contract talks on Tuesday.

The talks will mark one week since the strike began as the result of a tentative agreement being voted down by union members.

Workers continued picketing over the weekend after rejecting the contract offer from the region on Jan. 19. They began striking two days later.

The region and the union representing transit workers have been in contact since talks broke down, and there are hopes that talks will resume early this week.

"Our lead negotiator and theirs has been talking over the last several days, including probably over the weekend to try and figure out a time to get back together face-to-face at the bargaining table so we can get talks started again and hopefully get things resolved," said Mike Murray, Chief Administrative Officer at Region of Waterloo, over the weekend.

On Sunday, Unifor Local 4304 president Tim Jewell said the union is ready and willing to get back to the table.

According to Jewell, the top concerns are workplace safety and discipline for employees.

Although the union acknowledges the strike is an inconvenience to transit users, Jewell says it will be standing firm until a fair agreement is made.

Even though the buses remain parked, the region's auto-renew service for monthly transit passes is not.

Riders are being reminded they can turn that service off if they wish to opt out.