Region and striking GRT workers reach new tentative agreement

The Region and Waterloo and the union that represents Grand River Transit (GRT) workers have reached a tentative agreement that, if ratified, could end the bus strike on Thursday – 11 days after workers walked off the job.

Unifor Local 4304, which represents more than 650 transit operators and nearly 90 skilled trades and support workers, will put the tentative agreement to its members for a vote on Tuesday morning.

If the contract is ratified, bus service will resume on Thursday, the union said.

Grand River Transit buses have not been running since the strike began on Monday, May 1.

Workers are seeking better wages and scheduling provisions.

“We appreciate that customers rely on transit and we are committed to ensuring full bus service resumes as quickly as possible,” the region said in media release announcing the tentative deal on Monday.

The region and the union reached another tentative agreement on Sunday April 30 on the eve of the strike deadline. Members voted to reject that deal.

ION Light Rail Transit (LRT) trains have continued to run throughout the strike as that service is operated by a separate company.

IMPACT ON RIDERS

Cambridge resident Barry Green said not having bus service has made it a challenge to get to his job in Kitchener.

Green has been relying on coworkers and friends to get around.

Cambridge resident Barry Green says a one-way taxi ride to work costs him between $35 and $42. He's hopeful the bus strike will end soon. (Colton Wiens/CTV Kitchener)

“I’m hoping that it goes back because there’s a lot of people that live in communal living that need to go to the gym or whatever or groceries and everything else,” Green said.

Green said a one-way taxi ride to work costs him between $35 and $42.

He said he could stay home and use sick days or vacation time, but he doesn’t want to give those hours up

Also being in Cambridge, it means taking the LRT is not an option.

“Right now it’s not even beneficial because I live in Cambridge and the LRT only goes as far as Fairview Station,” Green said.

Green hopes workers vote to ratify the tentative agreement.

“I’m hoping that they really agree on it, but right now, it’s going to be hit or miss, because I don’t know what the agreement is, I don’t know what they’re talking about,” Green said.

Green said he would like to see transit made an essential service and has gained support for the idea through an online petition.

“They don’t even have the MobilityPLUS running right now, so anyone that needs to go to dialyses appointments or any kind of appointments, they can’t even book those,” Green said.