On Thursday, Cory Trew said a deal with Barrie’s transit operator was “light years away.”
Days later, the transit workers in the city have ratified an agreement averting what would have been the first transit strike in Barrie’s history.
Members of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1775 voted Sunday to approve a tentative deal reached after last-minute negotiations with MVT Canadian Bus, bringing an end to months of stalled talks and uncertainty for riders.
The agreement means transit service will continue uninterrupted, following days of escalating tensions that included a "sobering" practice picket experience and a looming strike deadline.
“It’s business as usual now,” the local union president told Barrie360. "We look forward to serving our ridership as we have all along."
Details of the agreement have not been fully released.
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Sunday's deal was approved by 76 per cent of voting members, with turnout at approximately 87 to 88 per cent, according to the union.
"Nobody was all that glib about it," Trew described. "Nobody wanted to inflict [job action] on the riders or us."
To ratify, the deal needed at least 51 per cent union support.
“We appreciate the efforts of both parties to reach an agreement and avoid a service disruption for our community,” said the City of Barrie's Director of Transit and Parking Strategy Brent Forsyth in a news release.
While the approval rate is a clear majority, it's not overwhelming, reflecting some division after months of tense negotiations.
MV Transportation did not respond to a request for comment.
Trew says the mood of members was generally sombre during a 12-hour window for information sessions and in-person voting.
Concessions were made during a 14-hour bargaining session on Friday, including added vacation time for senior workers, but Trew says it was "for the greater good."
"I'm not sure what percentage of a raise would've been absolutely phenomenal, but in this economy, I'm sure it's far more than anyone was ever going to get," the local union president said.
"There's always room for more money, but that wasn't really our mandate."
While many concerns were about scheduling issues and safety concerns, benefit coverage was something that the union president pointed to that the two sides made ground on at the table.
"[It's] really good especially given the climate of more and more assaults on bus drivers," Trew explained. "It's getting carried away."
The local ATU, which represents roughly 200 local workers, had been without a contract since June 30, and had been negotiating since about two months prior to its end.
Talks had stalled last fall and again earlier this year with its Dallas-based employer. The union eventually voted 96.5 per cent in favour of job action in November.
"I don't know what made the company give, but they did." Trew said. "I would like to think next time they'll take us more seriously."
