Durham Region bus drivers strike could begin Saturday

A Durham Region Transit bus is seen in this undated photo (Unifor).

Bus service in Durham Region will end early on Friday ahead of a potential strike which could begin at the stroke of midnight.

Durham Region Transit says that it plans to end scheduled service at 11 p.m. on Friday due to the possible strike by members of Unifor Local 222.

However, it says that if Unifor Local 222 members do not walk off the job at 12:01 a.m. on June 7, scheduled service would resume on Saturday.

On Wednesday, Unifor Local 222 said that it was awaiting a final offer from Durham Region but “is not confident it will be enough to deter strike action.”

The union has said that its key issue at the bargaining table is wages and bringing them in line with transit workers in Mississauga and Brampton, who it says earn up to $5 per hour more than its members.

“We are fighting tirelessly to close this unjust wage gap and secure a fair contract that recognizes the hard work, dedication and professionalism of DRT members,” Unifor Local 222 President Jeff Gray said in a news release on Wednesday.

Unifor Local 222 represents approximately 616 employees, who work as transit operations maintenance workers as well as in dispatch and specialized services at Durham Regional Transit.

Durham Region Transit has said that it has been participating in collective bargaining with the union since March 31 but has been unable to negotiate a new agreement.

The union says its members voted 98 per cent in favour of strike action on May 21.