Bus drivers and mechanics are poised to strike in Moncton after they soundly rejected the city's latest contract offer.
Mediated negotiations between the city and the Amalgamated Transit Union, representing 90 Codiac Transpo employees, came to an end early Sunday when the mediator declared an impasse.
"Wages remain the stumbling block," says city spokesperson Paul Thompson. "We made some good headway in terms of contract language and gaining on the overall operating efficiencies."
George Turple, the local president of the ATU, took the city's final offer back to the members for a vote. Ninety-three per cent of the members voted against the offer, which means the union can go on strike with 24-hours notice.
Turple says the union will wait until after a meeting on Thursday with the mediator before members walk off the job.
"It's not our goal to take vehicles off the road and disrupt the service in these three communities," says Turple.
Thompson says he's not sure when the city will receive the union's notice to strike. He says if they do receive a strike notice, the city may be forced into action of their own.
"If it comes to the point where the service is disrupted to the extent it can't be run efficiently and effectively, then we could be forced to lock our workers out," says Thompson.
Turple says it didn't have to come to this because the two sides had a handshake agreement two years ago.
"They need to honour the agreement," says Turple. "This agreement right here, the one they negotiated on and said they would recommend to their council and then back out at the last minute."
While the two sides try to hash out an agreement, some of the 8,000 daily transit users are unsure how they will cope if a strike notice is given.
"I have to go to the hospital twice a week, doctor visits. I'm really sick," says transit user Tammy Roberts. "Kids need the bus. They can't get anywhere without it."
With files from CTV Atlantic's Jonathan MacInnis
