Lethbridge Transit operators are not currently working any voluntary overtime, says Travis Oberg, the president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 987.
“This action started four weeks ago. The employer has been aware of it for six weeks. The reality of it is, we’re under contracts, so the union is supporting the workers – but it’s not sanctioned by us,” says Oberg.
A grievance has been filed, Oberg notes, which is now proceeding to arbitration. “It’s a direct result of not getting the recover time built into the runs and there’s some working conditions pertaining to work shifts and sign-ups that are contentious issues.”
“The operators are not willing to work any additional overtime, as a result of these issues,” adds Oberg.
According to Oberg, the union is still waiting on the employer to reach out and get back into dialogue about how to resolve these issues. “It’s been quiet, the last couple of days from them.”
“Not doing the voluntary overtime pinpoints the complete failures of cityLink and the transit system as a whole,” says Oberg. “It’s not designed properly for the community. There’s a big emphasis on ensuring riders get to and from very fast, but riders are being left at the bus stops. Not just as a result of us not working overtime, but a result of the system that can’t handle the pre-pandemic ridership levels.”
The City of Lethbridge says it will not comment publicly about any union concerns, but looks forward to the opportunity to address any concerns directly with the union. “We apologize to transit riders who have been inconvenienced by the cancellation of routes over the last few days. We continue to work hard to resolve these issues and ensure we have a reliable transit service for our customers.”
