STO bus service in Gatineau, Que. resumes Tuesday afternoon after tentative deal reached to end strike

An STO bus is seen in Gatineau, Que. in this undated image. (CTV News Ottawa)

Transit service resumed Tuesday afternoon in Gatineau, Que. after a tentative deal was reached to end a strike by frontline supervisors at the STO.

The Société de transport de l’Outaouais (STO) announced Tuesday morning an agreement in principle had been reached with Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1557 to end the strike.

“Service will therefore be restored across the entire public transit network tomorrow afternoon (Tuesday, October 21), including integrated school lines, which will be back in operation for the end of the school day,” the STO said on its website.

In an update at 9:40 a.m., the STO said full bus service will be restored at 3 p.m. today and “all integrated school lines will be back for the end of classes today.”

Approximately 50 supervisors and trainers with the STO went on strike Monday morning to back demands for a new contract. The ATU Local 1557 said transit workers had been without a contract since 2023.

“Our members have repeatedly demonstrated their dedication to public transit service and customers,” Olivier Lachance, President of the United Transit Union – Local 1557, said in a statement. “We will be proud to be at our posts tomorrow to ensure the smooth running of the network.”

The STO said Monday that supervisors were asking for a 28 per cent raise over four years, while the STO was offering a 23 per cent increase over seven years.

The tentative agreement must be ratified by the union members.

With files from CTV News Ottawa’s Katie Griffin