City to look at transit workers' proposal

City council will hear a proposal from the transit union Tuesday afternoon which a city official hopes will avoid a strike.

City manager Tim Commisso said bargaining lasted into the morning on Friday and a proposal by the Amalgamated Transit Union with a "wage item" was put on the table. Council will hear that proposal Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. before its special council meeting. Commisso said administration will be updating council and putting forward a recommendation.

"I’m hopeful," Commisso said. "I think I’ll just leave it at that."

While several issues are still being discussed, Commisso said the bargaining has come to a point where it’s a monetary issue to avoid a midnight strike deadline given by the union.
ATU president Charlie Brown said his members have been waiting all weekend for a response from the city.

"Maybe they needed a turkey dinner more than they needed a contract," Brown said.
Brown said it’s up to the city to make the next move and approve the union’s proposal.
"Failing that I guess we’ll be on strike as of midnight," Brown said.