The union representing more than 600 Durham transit operators, maintenance workers and dispatchers says buses will stop running by 11 p.m. Friday in advance of a possible strike.
Unifor Local 222 says the early end to service is to “safely prepare for a potential service disruption at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday.”
“Although the union will be in a legal strike position effective June 7, it does not necessarily mean that there will be a work disruption on that date,” union officials said in an update on Wednesday.
They add that if members do not walk off the job, “regular service will resume on Saturday.”
Durham Region is expected to provide a final offer on Thursday, however, the union says it is not confident it will be enough to deter strike action.
The two sides have been in contract talks since March 31.
Union members voted 98 per cent in favour of strike action on May 21.
Among the key issues in the dispute is closing the wage gap with transit workers in surrounding “905-area code” municipalities like Mississauga and Brampton, who earn up to $5 more per hour than Durham Region Transit employees.
Durham Region Transit operates bus service across Ajax, Brock, Clarington, Oshawa, Pickering, Scugog, Uxbridge, and Whitby.
