Barrie Transit workers have voted 96% in favour of strike action, signalling growing frustration over stalled contract negotiations with MV Transportation, the U.S.-based company that operates the city’s transit system.
The strike mandate does not mean an immediate work stoppage, but it does put pressure on upcoming talks scheduled for January.
A transit strike would be the first in Barrie’s history.
Corey Trew, president of the local union representing Barrie Transit employees, says negotiations have hit a wall.
“It boils down to it’s an American company and they have that American swagger,” Trew told Barrie 360. “They’re just not prepared to negotiate in good faith. There’s no reasonable offers being made.”
The dispute isn’t solely about wages. Benefits, vacation time for long-serving employees, and working conditions have all been sticking points.
“We were looking at getting an improvement on the premium, an extra week vacation for people that have been there 20-plus years,” he explained. “These were all hard no’s.”
One proposal from the company sought to make bathroom breaks unpaid for Transit On Demand drivers—a move Trew says is “not even legal up here.”
For now, transit riders can expect service to continue as normal. More talks are planned for January.
