Saskatoon transit workers refuse to wear uniforms over contract dispute

The union that represents Saskatoon’s transit workers has decided its members will go to work in regular clothes rather than their uniforms.

The decision follows Monday’s meeting to discuss a bargaining update and the potential for job action.

“By not wearing our uniforms, we would raise awareness to the fact that we still don’t have a collective agreement,” said Jim Yakubowski, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 615.

Transit workers have been without a contract since 2012. So far, negotiations with the city have failed to produce a deal.

Yakubowski said there’s no timeline yet for when a possible strike could happen, adding their goal is to settle on a contract as soon as possible. The union would be required to give 48 hours notice in order to strike.

In an emailed statement, Marno McInnes, the city’s director of human resources, declined to comment on the specifics of the negotiations.

“We understand the public interest in this issue; however, given the current state of bargaining with the Transit union we are declining interviews or declining to making detailed statements related to our discussions. We are committed to reaching a resolution to this impasse and achieve a new collective agreement,” he wrote.