Moncton braces for bus strike

Bus riders in the greater Moncton area are bracing for a possible strike that could start next week.

Codiac Transpo and the city are scheduled to begin a three-day mediation process on Thursday.

But if that fails, about 90 peopleincluding drivers, mechanics and service workerscould go on strike by April 1, leaving Moncton, Riverview and Dieppewithout public transportation.

Kimberly Bedding, a homecare worker, said she's going to be left in the lurch if Codiac Transpo and the city can't agree on a contract.

She doesn't have a driver's licence and cabs are too expensive, she said.

"I'm in a lot of trouble."

Bedding said her clients are also worried she wont be able to make it for their appointments.

'Nobody needs this and my membership doesn't need this as well.' George Turple, Amalgamated Transit Union

If Codiac does go on strike, Bedding said shell probably try to walk to her clients.

"A lot of walking. Like they did in Halifax, they had to walk a lot, a lot of them. So I'll be doing the same thing."

Bedding said she's never had trouble with the bus service in her 15 years of riding and the drivers deserve to be paid fairly.

"Nobody needs this and my membership doesn't need this as well," said George Turple, president and business agent forthe Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 1290.

"We all suffer in this. The only people that don't suffer in this will be the people that don't ride buses and still have a salary to pay their bills," he said.

"It is not our goal to shut down transit in this city.That is not our goal. Our goal is to get an agreement. But at some point or another, we have to draw a line," said Turple, noting the workers have been without a contract since 2010.

"The last year has not been needed. It's been a clear waste of taxpayers' money and we need to move forward," he said.

City officials have said they're committed to reaching an agreement as soon as possible.

Negotiations broke down earlier in March.

From the city's perspective, the dispute comes down to wages.

But union officials have said workers are concerned about overtime, being paid for pre-trip preparation work, and travel time.

Codiac Transpo operates buses in Moncton, Dieppe, Riverview and Lakeside.