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This article was published 31/8/2019 (391 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Days before thousands of students across the city hop aboard Winnipeg Transit buses to travel to school, the Manitoba Teachers’ Society has announced its "unwavering support" for the transit union’s fight in its contract negotiations with the city.

On Friday, teachers society president James Bedford wrote a letter to the union, in which he said 16,000 teachers are behind transit workers and their mission to improve bus service and negotiate better working conditions.

"Despite the hardball tactics of the City of Winnipeg, we recognize your demands are fair," Bedford said in the letter dated Aug. 30. Reasonable work schedules and reliable bathroom breaks aren’t perks, he said, but rather rights all good employers should be willing to guarantee their workers.

"Absolutely nothing can temper our respect for you and the challenges you face working in an underfunded system with increasingly dangerous conditions," Bedford continued.

The transit union has hit the brakes on speculation operators will strike Sept. 3 — the first day of school for students at all levels who rely on buses to get to and from class.

"We foresee no interruptions to service on Tuesday," Zach Fleisher, a spokesman for Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1505, said in a statement to the Free Press on Saturday.

Fleisher said the union is thankful for Bedford’s letter of support and solidarity.

"The support from the community has been overwhelming for our members and the Transit community," he said.

The collective agreement between the city and the union, which represents around 1,500 Winnipeg Transit employees — including drivers, mechanics and maintenance staff — expired in January.

Over the past seven months, the union has rejected four contract offers and the city continues to turn down counter proposals. The ATU has been in a legal strike and lockout position since May.

The city has continuously warned of a strike or lockout in September — when students’ return to school would maximize the effect — citing major differences between the parties on wage increases and a proposed five-minute relief break at the end of each route run. The ATU has repeatedly denied the claim.

Education officials have raised concerns any interruptions to the regular Winnipeg Transit schedules would cause chaos for thousands of commuters. Representatives from the Pembina Trails, Louis Riel, Seven Oaks and River East Transcona school divisions have told the Free Press they are monitoring the labour dispute.

Both the city and transit union insist they have put forward reasonable offers and that the other side isn’t willing to compromise.

Following the latest offer, the city stood by a $12.8-million budget. The city has said the transit union’s demands would cost $80.8 million.

The union said the city’s numbers are inflated, but the ATU could not provide a cost estimate for its proposal.

maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @macintoshmaggie