Calgary and the Transit Union Face Off

The war between the city and the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 583 is reaching a boiling point. Now mud-slinging has been taken to new extremes with ads in the paper and a he-did-it-first-so-I'm doing-it-back response as seen in young children. Both sides of the negotiating table have taken off the kid-gloves.

Since June 2006, the 2400 members of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 583 have worked without a contract. While negotiations are stalemated, with each side blaming the other, it is an ad placed by the city in local newspapers that has created the current uproar.

Mike Mahar, president of Local 583 claims the ad is misleading,. "They still have a number of concessions on the table, but the way they've worded the ad is that it's the union that rejected the latest offer."

Not so, according to Mahar. The city turned down the union's counter offer.

Vickie Megrath, city spokesperson, disagrees."We have a responsibility to share information with our employees, transit users and the taxpayers of Calgary and this ad was a way to let them know what the city is offering." Although Megrath does acknowledge that the union did make a counter offer.

So in retaliation to the city's ad, the union will responding with an ad of their own. And a rally with supporting unions in attendance to show solidairity.

And what is this huge gulf of differences over? Primarily wages. The transit workers are asking for three 5% pay raises over 30 months. The city is willing to go one 3% increase followed by two 3.5 % increases. Other issues include shuttle buses and seniority.