Ah, the holiday is over.
It’s 11pm and the Transitway is abuzz, for the first time in 7 weeks, with extremely noisy snow removal machines. It has been going on for hours and looks like it’s going to be going on for several hours more, but it’s a welcome intrusion.
Ottawa Citizen:
Breaking news from Ottawa Citizen: Deal nearly done to settle transit strike
The city and its largest transit union are making a dramatic push to reach an agreement to end the transit strike ahead of federal legislation sending 2,300 OC Transpo workers back on the job.
A number of city councillors are in Mayor Larry O’Brien’s office now, working on the effort. Mr. O’Brien is expected to make an announcement shortly.
“It looks good. It’s going to be good,” one councillor said.
This comes on the heels of news that the federal government was going to be looking into back-to-work legislation. See Day 51: Area MPs willing to legislate Transpo back to work.
According to CTV, the deal is done, but I haven’t seen anything about it in the Ottawa Citizen.
The City of Ottawa and the Amalgamated Transit Union have reached a deal that will end a public transit strike that has paralyzed the nation’s capital for 51 days.
Both sides have agreed to put the contract dispute to binding arbitration.
Although an agreement has been made, it will still take at least one week to get the first round of buses serviced and back on the roads.
Dammit, this better not be a tease.
Life Begins at 41...or maybe 43 