Press release.
Guelph City Council and members of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1189 voted today to ratify the tentative agreement reached on Thursday, July 31. Work to resume transit service is already underway.
“While we expect to restore transit service in our community by Friday, this isn’t a celebration,” said Guelph Mayor Karen Farbridge. “Guelph’s transit riders and, in particular, the working poor have endured a tremendous hardship throughout this disruption. Tomorrow the hard work continues as we work to repair the relationship between City administration and our transit employees.”
“This has been a difficult process, but we’ve ended up in a better place,” said ATU Local 1189 President Andrew Cleary. “We are looking forward to getting Guelph moving again this week.”
“Transit service will be free for all users until the end of service August 15 to give riders the opportunity to purchase their August bus passes and encourage people to return to transit,” said the City’s Chief Administrative Officer Ann Pappert.
To restore Guelph Transit services, mechanics, drivers and mobility service employees are being called to report to work on Wednesday to restore mobility service by Thursday, August 7 and road test the necessary 54 vehicles to be able to resume service by Friday, August 8. Any changes to these estimates will be communicated immediately.
Read highlights of the ratified agreement
Learn more about purchasing August Guelph Transit passes
For updates and more information regarding the negotiations between the City and ATU Local 1189, please visit guelph.ca/atu.