Transit service in Durham region to end early Friday ahead of potential strike
Unifor Local 222, which represents workers at Durham Regional Transit, will be in a legal strike position as of 12:01 a.m. Saturday, June 7.
The union and transit agency have been in collective bargaining negotiations since March 31, but haven't been able to reach an agreement, says an update from Durham Regional Transit posted to its website.
To prepare for a potential service disruption if transit workers go on strike, the transit agency says it will end bus service by 11 p.m. Friday.
If a strike doesn't happen, regular bus service will resume Saturday.
The Durham Region Transit Commission is expected to present a final offer to the bargaining committee on Thursday, but the union is not confident it will be enough to deter strike action, Unifor said in a news release.
Wages are a key sticking point in the contract negotiations, with the union arguing that transit workers in surrounding "905-area code" municipalities like Mississauga and Brampton earn up to $5 more per hour than Durham Region Transit employees for doing the same work, despite working in communities with similar population sizes and growth projections.
"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," said Unifor Local 222 President Jeff Gray in the Unifor news release.
Members voted 98 per cent in support of taking strike action, if necessary, on May 21, the news release says.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
16 minutes ago
- CTV News
‘Disgusting act of hate': Victoria synagogue vandalized with antisemitic statements
The entrance of Congregation Emanu-el Synagogue in Victoria, B.C., was vandalized on Aug. 2, 2025. (Image credit: B.C.'s premier and public safety minister are condemning the vandalism of Canada's oldest surviving synagogue and pledging to support police and the community while an investigation is underway. The Victoria Police Department was called to the Congregation Emanu-el Synagogue on Saturday around 8 p.m. 'Officers documented the graffiti, and collected evidence, and then worked with City of Victoria to have it removed,' a spokesperson said in a statement. The Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver was among the groups who shared an image of the statements scrawled on one of the columns flacking the building's front entrance on social media, along with a statement. 'We absolutely denounce this act of hate and stand in unwavering solidarity with the Victoria Jewish community. No one should ever feel unsafe in their place of worship,' a statement posted to X said. Public Safety Minister Nina Krieger, whose constituency is in Victoria, also decried the vandalism. 'Hate has no place in our province,' she wrote. 'Antisemitism has no place in British Columbia. Hate vandalism, speech and intimidation are not protected expressions — they are crimes and will be treated as such. The province of B.C. stands with our Jewish community, and with all people vulnerable to hate and violence.' Premier David Eby echoed the sentiment. 'Antisemitism has no place in our communities – not now, not ever,' he wrote. 'The Jewish community and police have our full support as they investigate this disgusting act of hate.' The investigation is ongoing, according to police, who said they have no further information to share about the incident. First built in 1863, the synagogue is a national historic site of Canada.
CBC
16 minutes ago
- CBC
CBC News Network's Natasha Fatah speaks with the Manager of Industry Relations for the CFBC, Trevor Botkin.
News Duration 7:30 Get the latest on the CBC News App, and CBC News Network for breaking news and analysis.
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
Residents temporarily evacuated after gas leak in East London
A vacant home at 389 Vancouver Street in London, Ont. was the site of a gas leak Monday, Aug 4, 2025 (Source: Brent Lale/CTV London) Some east London residents were temporarily evacuated Monday morning after a gas leak at a vacant home on Vancouver Street. 'We had a report of a natural gas odor from the exterior of the building,' said Platoon Chief Gary Mosburger. 'First crews arrived on scene and there was a heavy odor of natural gas within the home. We took immediate action to evacuate residents from the area to ensure the safety of a potential explosion. We actually shut down hydro remotely with London Hydro to ensure the safety and reduce any potential spark.' Crews ventilated the property and brought levels back to normal ranges, so they could begin allowing neighbours to return home. 'We've seen this many times before and, of course, we know the implications of an explosion when it comes to natural gas,' said Mosburger, referring to the Woodman Avenue explosion in 2019. 'We take every safety measure possible to ensure the safety of our people as well as anybody that's around the area.'
