Kelowna Regional Transit drivers will stop wearing the First Transit uniform or logo as the first job action in their escalating campaign in their fight for a fair and just contract. Instead, the members of ATU Local 1722 will don union t-shirts to express solidarity with each other and the union bargaining committee.
This action is also an effort to raise awareness among the riding public. Workers are refusing the uniform to display to their riders and their community that transit in Kelowna is broken and that First Transit must immediately work to fix it, fund it and make it fair for workers and riders alike.
“First Transit’s executives are always welcome to return to the table and restart negotiations with a respectful, realistic offer for us," said President Al Peressini. “While we have good cause and a mandate from our members to strike, we are exercising restraint and taking this job action to ensure our riders are aware of the severity of the crisis before service is impacted.”
“We’re sick of seeing clients stranded on the side of the road when they need to get to work and school,” Peressini continued. “We’re sick of hearing about the elderly and people with disabilities stranded at home because First Transit can’t retain employees with these pitiful wages.”
Peressini also called on the public to get involved in the dispute. “We care for our riders, and we hope that they will urgently communicate their concern for this broken transit system to City Hall and the Province,” he said. “Public officials brought this company into Kelowna, and they can hold it accountable.”
“Our hard-working members working for Kelowna Regional Transit have had enough of the disrespect. This job action is to educate our riders and the public that our transit system needs to be fixed and show our members are strong and united,” said ATU International President John Costa. “It’s time for the First Transit get back to the table to give these frontline workers the contract they deserve and riders a transit system that works for all.”
ATU members are encouraging the people of greater Kelowna to reach out to their councilors and mayors to demand that they take responsibility for the private corporation that they have chosen to contract with to run public transit.