Go bus workers plan to strike starting Monday, Nov. 7 if they do not reach an agreement with Metrolinx
McMaster University commuters could find themselves forced to hop on a Go train or carpool to campus if a new offer is not presented by Metrolinx by Monday Nov. 7. A vote held by the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1587, which encompasses all Go bus drivers, revealed that 93% of workers were in favour of going on strike.
Go Transit is a division of Metrolinx, and the two parties had been in negotiations since Apr. 2022. Union workers had been working without a contract since Jun. 1.
The strike was initially set to start at midnight on Oct. 31 if an agreement was not reached by that time, applying pressure on Metrolinx to come to an agreement. The strike was averted when Metrolinx presented an offer, which union workers took to a vote on Nov. 2 and 3. ATU Local 1587 said they wouldn’t encourage their members to either accept or reject.
On Nov. 4, it was announced that the union declined the offer in an 81% vote in favour of rejection. Bargaining has continued over the weekend of Nov. 5 and 6.
ATU Local 1587 has set the new strike date for Nov. 7. If Metrolinx has not presented a counteroffer by midnight Nov. 6, all Go bus drivers and attendants will be walking off the job, leaving many commuters stranded or forced to commute via Go train.
ATU Local 1587 has set the new strike date for Nov. 7. If Metrolinx has not presented a counteroffer by midnight Nov. 6, all Go bus drivers and attendants will be walking off the job, leaving many commuters stranded or forced to commute via Go train.
This strike would call for cancellation of all Go bus services, due to a walk off of bus drivers, station attendants, office workers, maintenance workers and safety officers. The strike would be indefinite, until Metrolinx presents an offer that workers vote in majority to accept.
McMaster students that commute may need to prepare an alternate route to school, due to the cancellation of Go buses that could start Monday Nov. 7. Updates on the strike can be found on ATU Local 1587’s page where they post vote outcomes and strike mandates.
This is an ongoing story.
C/O PawlessPanda, Reddit
The line starts back there.
As students return to in-person classes, many commuters are voicing frustration at the long lines and lack of GO service plaguing the on-campus bus terminal.
On Reddit’s r/mcmaster, user PawlessPanda uploaded a video that appears to show a line stretching from the bus terminal.
“Is it going to be like this every day,” wrote user AhmedT710.
Another student claimed they waited over an hour and a half before getting on the bus.
According to the GO Transit trip planner, Route 47 express lines A, B, C, D, E, F or H are not currently operating. For now, students who take the GO bus to and from McMaster will need to take Route 41, which makes more stops.
The Silhouette sent the Reddit post to Metrolinx, the company that operates GO Transit, for comment on the status of transit from McMaster’s GO bus terminal.
Starting Feb. 10, 2022, GO Transit will be adding busses to reduce wait times and crowding along Route 41. Metrolinx attributes the lower levels of service to lower ridership levels during the pandemic.
"To respond to the change in ridership, beginning tomorrow, we are adjusting and adding buses to reduce wait times and crowding along Route 41 to McMaster University . . . We continue to monitor ridership on all bus routes as well as customer feedback to ensure we are providing a positive customer experience," said a representative for Metrolinx.
Metrolinx did not comment on resuming express route services to McMaster University, which includes the popular Route 47.
This is a developing story.
