This Week at Council: The People Have Budget Thoughts Too

This week was budget delegation night, and while that’s always a busy occasion, this one was even busier. Blame the Strong Mayor Powered budget and some of the things cut or delayed, which got a great many community members very concerned about potentially lost opportunities, but before all that stuff, some unfinished business! A very special meeting of council was convened to take care of some labour matters. Here’s the recap! Continue reading “This Week at Council: The People Have Budget Thoughts Too”

RECAP: City Council Meeting for November 19, 2024

Two meetings in one this week! You can click here and here for the amended agenda from City Hall, and you can click here and here for the Politico preview. For the complete blow-by-blow of today’s council meeting, you can follow along on Twitter, or follow the tweets below. You can also watch the City’s own live-stream of the meeting here. Continue reading “RECAP: City Council Meeting for November 19, 2024”

City Council Preview – What’s on the Agenda for the Additional November 19, 2024 Meeting?

What’s this? A surprise meeting? Yes, an additional meeting agenda for this coming Tuesday appeared on the council calendar Friday with exactly two items on it. The first is a resolution to a labour matter that’s been the source of much stress lately, and the other is a bit of unfinished business from the meeting earlier this week. For all the completionists out there, here’s the preview of this new meeting! Continue reading “City Council Preview – What’s on the Agenda for the Additional November 19, 2024 Meeting?”

GUELPH POLITICAST #440 – The Wheels Off the Bus? (feat. Scott Bate)

If you think traffic and travel are bad now, it might not compare to what awaits if Guelph Transit workers go on strike, or are locked out by the City. It could be worse. In so much as these things never happen at the best possible time, it might be even worse for Guelph Transit now as they hit new ridership records and try to justify increased expenses as City Hall is looking to save pennies. So is transit job action a foregone conclusion? Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #440 – The Wheels Off the Bus? (feat. Scott Bate)”

GUELPH POLITICAST #439 – Guelph Stuff (feat. Scotty Hertz)

Here, at the end of October, there’s a lot going on from new budgets to potential strikes to changes to our recycling, so it seems like a good time to pause and talk about some recent events before the news gets even crazier. This week, we’re going to catch up with a friend from a different show, and we’re all going to catch up with all the important issues going on in the news. The Guelph Stuff! Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #439 – Guelph Stuff (feat. Scotty Hertz)”

UPDATE: City & Union Voting on Agreement Tuesday; Buses Could Be Back Friday

For the TL;DR set, both the Guelph City Council and the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1189 will be voting Tuesday to ratify the tentative agreement reached late last night. If it’s passed by both parties, City of Guelph buses could be back on the road as early as Friday allowing for at least two days for inspection of the vehicles and for transit services to make sure all routes and positions are properly scheduled. Continue reading “UPDATE: City & Union Voting on Agreement Tuesday; Buses Could Be Back Friday”

New Transit Contract Ratified, Both Sides Have Eye on the Future

After being ratified at City Council last week, members of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1189 did their share and ratified the new collective agreement on their end, and thus securing labour piece between the City of Guelph and its transit employees. Now’s the part where we learn the details. Continue reading “New Transit Contract Ratified, Both Sides Have Eye on the Future”

PRESS RELEASE – Guelph Transit Gets Their Concessions

This story broke just before Christmas, an inordinately busy time under the best of circumstances, but it’s an important story just the same given the events of 2014. Following up to the agreement reached last summer between the City of Guelph and the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1189, Guelph Transit workers now have their lunchroom at Guelph Central Station, and continuous access to washrooms at the University Centre (even when it’s closed). Not for nothing, but was that so hard, City of Guelph? Continue reading “PRESS RELEASE – Guelph Transit Gets Their Concessions”

Guelph Transit Back Friday; ATU & City Both Ratify Agreement

August 8 has always been a politically significant day, in 1942 it was the start of the Quiet India movement, in 1974 it was the day that Richard Nixon announced he was stepping down from the presidency, and in 1990 it was the day that Iraq invaded Kuwait, setting off a series of events that would lead to the Gulf War.

Now August 8 is the date when the Guelph Transit lockout ended and the buses will start rolling out onto city roads once more. The City of Guelph and the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1189 have both ratified a new contract and service will be restored once schedules are made and the bus fleet is inspected, which should be Friday at the earliest. What’s in the agreement, and what’s next for riders? Read on… Continue reading “Guelph Transit Back Friday; ATU & City Both Ratify Agreement”

City & ATU Reach Tentative Agreement; Bus Service to be Restored After Ratification

As the lockout of Guelph Transit nears the end of its second week, there’s a sign of hope that this time next week we may be able to get back on the buses again. Word came in late last night that the City of Guelph and the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1189 have reached a tentative agreement.

The key point is that this means there’s no immediate end to the lockout. The ATU members will vote this coming Thursday, August 7, and if they vote to ratify, council will hold a special meeting to vote it through on their end. Meeting day and time to confirmed soon. Now the question is, for the union, will the third time be the charm? Continue reading “City & ATU Reach Tentative Agreement; Bus Service to be Restored After Ratification”