Tory bill proposes to end York transit strike

Five weeks into the York Region transit strike, a Progressive Conservative MPP introduced a private members’ bill Wednesday to end the dispute and set it to binding arbitration for a settlement.

The bill is “the only avenue available to us” amid frustration that Premier Dalton McGuinty’s government has taken no action other than offering mediation services and urging all parties to reach a deal restoring bus service for 70,000 riders, said Tory MPP Peter Shurman.

“I hope it serves as a good kick to the labour minister,” said Shurman (Thornhill), also taking shots at York Region Liberal MPPs for not putting more pressure on the government.

Labour Minister Linda Jeffrey said she recognizes the inconvenience of the strike to York bus riders but is not considering back-to-work legislation and urged all parties “to return to the bargaining table as quickly as possible.”

“Our government is not considering or discussing back-to-work legislation,” she added. “The best agreements are those reached through the collective bargaining process.”

While private members’ bills are rarely passed, Shurman said he hopes introducing it will “raise the level of debate” on the York situation.

Aside from commuters taking longer to get to work and hurting the region’s economy, the York Region Catholic School Board has sent a letter urging a settlement because many teenagers are having trouble getting to school on time or at all, said MPP Julia Monroe (York-Simcoe), who is co-sponsoring the bill with fellow Tory MPP Frank Klees (Newmarket-Aurora).

The bill would also declare York Region transit an essential service, preventing further strikes and sending future contract disputes to arbitration if agreements cannot be reached through negotiation.

“Transit strikes are a thing of the past for Toronto, why wouldn’t they be a thing of the past for York Region?” said Shurman, referring to the essential-service designation passed for the Toronto Transit Commission at the city’s request earlier this year.

Bob Kinnear of the Amalgamated Transit Union said he supports sending the York Region dispute to arbitration because it is unlikely a negotiated settlement can be reached.

“Sometimes you reach that point,” he said, but added the union rejects taking away its right to strike because “99 per cent of the time collective bargaining works.”

Kinnear warned the essential service element of the bill will cause it to “bog down” in the Legislature and suggested the Tory MPPs are playing “political games” to strip their right to collective bargaining.

York Region officials suggested they don’t want back-to-work legislation of any kind.

“York Region has repeatedly requested a return to negotiations by the unions and contracted operators in this dispute. Both have an obligation to bargain in good faith to resolve this situation,” said Richard Leary, general manager of York Region’s Viva transit service.

“We strongly endorse any means of the parties reaching an agreement in a manner that respects the interests of employees, transit riders and taxpayers.”

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Source: Toronto Star