The City of Saskatoon invited transit workers back to the bargaining table Friday following a labour relations ruling.
Saskatchewan’s Labour Relations Board denied an appeal from the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 615 — which represents the city’s bus drivers — to lift a Saskatoon Transit lockout, but ordered the city to halt further changes to the transit union’s pension plan.
A new pension plan was imposed on transit workers at a special city council meeting Monday. The labour board ruled the pension bylaw could not be enforced until further discussion.
The city will comply with the labour relations ruling, the city said in a media release inviting the transit union to resume bargaining talks.
“We’ve invited the transit union to resume the bargaining process. We’re ready on a moment’s notice to sit down and bargain,” said Marno McInnes, Saskatoon’s director of human resources.
Transit union lawyer Gary Bainbridge said although they would have liked the lockout lifted, the decision on the pension was a positive one for the union -- the pension was a major issue in previous negotiations.
The union argued prior to the labour relations meeting the City of Saskatoon’s lockout of more than 300 transit workers was illegal. The labour board did not rule on the legality of the lockout.
The union can appeal the decision in seven days.
--- with files from the Canadian Press
