Chants of "no us, no bus," rang out during a practice picket in front of the Barrie Allandale Transit Terminal on Thursday morning.
Now, barring a last-minute deal, it seems as though Barrie Transit workers are going to put that theory to the test.
Members of the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1775 are set to go on strike beginning Monday after talks stalled last fall and again earlier this year with its employer, MVT Canadian Bus. The union voted 96.5 per cent in favour in November.
Local union president Cory Trew says talks have not progressed, but he is looking forward to a meeting with MVT officials on Friday.
"We've been light years apart on a few points," he said to Barrie360. "Most of it boils down to huge scheduling issues, which translates out to a lot of safety concerns. Both for drivers and the ridership."
Other points of contention include benefits and compensation parity.
The union, which represents roughly 200 local workers, has been without a contract since June 30, and had been negotiating since about two months prior to its end.
If it proceeds, the job action would be the first in the city's history.
"It's not like this decision was made lightly by any means, but this is our only recourse," Trew said.
The local union president says there are fundamental differences that have become clear through cross-border negotiations with the Dallas-based company.
"A lot of the mindset just comes from south of the border," he explains. "The labour laws, if they exist at all, are completely different, and we are now the only Canadian property.
"We're kind of like their attic at this point, we're just forgotten about."
The union also alleges the company sent representatives unfamiliar with Canadian labour law to negotiate, describing them as “union busters” in a handout distributed Thursday.
MV Transit, MVT Canadian Bus' parent company which holds the 20-year daily operation contract with the City of Barrie, did not immediately respond to request for comment.
While the City is not the employer, the union says it still holds "significant influence."
The practice picket came one day after it and Mayor Alex Nuttall specifically recognized the day-to-day efforts of transit workers.
A flyer handed out to passers by at the terminal offers potential supporters the opportunity to sign an online petition and urges the City to hold the company accountable.
"As the public agency funding and overseeing transit services," it reads. "The City can and should compel MVT to bargain in good faith and ensure that Barrie's transit professionals are treated with dignity."
The flyer urges residents to contact their city councillor and push for MVT to return to the bargaining table with a qualified Canadian representative. It also encourages those affected to inform employers and community organizations about the potential impact of a strike, and to ask them to contact the city as well.
For riders, the potential impact is immediate.
Callie Brooker, a regular commuter for years, was caught in the middle of the practice picket. She says she fully supports the union's efforts because without the ability to use transit, her options would be limited.
"I don't have anybody that can give me a ride anywhere," she said to Barrie 360. "I'm going to be relying on Ubers and Lyfts, so it's gonna be very difficult."
As a resident living in the south end of the city and working in the north end at the mall, she says because she doesn't drive herself, using those alternatives are going to take a hit on her financially.
"We're gonna have to make some changes at my household in order to accommodate that," she adds." Less spending out, maybe, and more on trying to get from one place to another. It's unfortunate, but it is what it is."
Last week, the City outlined several impacts to regular service should the strike go ahead as planned. It confirmed to Barrie 360 that there would be no change to Route 8's regular travel, only to its frequency.
Barrie Transit ridership in 2024 was over 4.1 million, but 2025 numbers have not been detailed.
According to the City’s 2026 business plan, the system operates a fleet of 46 conventional buses, two electric buses, 15 specialized accessible vehicles and seven units for Transit ON Demand.
The local union branch is planning a rally on Wednesday afternoon at the terminal, and is inviting the public to join the picket line.
"We're doing this for them as much as we are for us, honestly," Trew said of transit users. "Any of them that actually ride the buses know that scheduling is a problem, and we're fighting for it as much as anybody else."
