Transit Workers Strike in Calgary

by Jim Selby, AFL staff

[Calgary] Nearly two thousand transit workers are off the job in Calgary. The workers, members of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 583, have been on strike against the City of Calgary since Thursday, February 22, 2001.

The major issues in the strike are part-time work, contracting out, and wage, according to Walter Moody, a Vice-President of the Local.

"We want the City to limit the number of conversions of full-time positions to part-time positions," said Moody, "but they have refused to negotiate the issue. And, our efforts to improve the benefits of part-time workers have also been stone-walled."

There is also an ongoing problem with job security, "We want a clause protecting the jobs of our non-trades personnel, like our cleaners and custodians," said Moody. "The City of Calgary has refused to negotiate a no-contracting out clause in the contract for these people."

Moody points out that the employer has shown far too much interest in contracting out work. "No one should have to go to work every day wondering if his or her job is still there," he said.

In the area of wages, the transit workers are looking for the same level of increase that Emergency Medical Services workers for the City of Calgary got earlier this year. "The EMS workers got a 3.5% increase in the first year of the contract and a 3.9% increase in the second year," observed Moody. The City is offering transit workers a three-year deal with increases of 3.0%, 3.5%, and 3.0%.

"Calgary is one of the most expensive cities in Canada to live in," said Moody. "With the incredible increases in the cost of home heating and electricity, our members are just not prepared to lose real wages to inflation. We’re against the wall and we’re just not going to give up anymore." He points out that City Council has voted itself an 8.5% increase and that some City management people have received wage increases of up to 8.5%.

Local 583 President Dean McKerness is confident that the membership is solidly behind the union. "We have a City Hall that’s not listening," said McKerness, "but our members are ready to dig their heels in. The spirit on the picket line is great."