About 64,000 daily GO Transit bus riders are being warned that their Monday commute could be in jeopardy.

About 1,800 GO drivers, station staff and transit safety officers are threatening to strike at midnight Sunday if a contract settlement isn’t reached this weekend.

The current three-year contract between Metrolinx, which operates GO, and the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1587 expires Saturday.

Metrolinx has made contingency plans to keep the stations open and accommodate as many riders as possible on its trains in the event of a labour disruption. But there would be no bus service, and weekend trains to Niagara and Barrie would be suspended.

“Non-unionized staff will ensure stations remain open and will handle ticket sales,” said GO spokesperson Anne Marie Aikins.

“We are determined to negotiate a fair settlement and will work throughout the weekend. We are still optimistic we can avoid labour disruption,” she said.

GO bus drivers earn between $25.56 and $31.32 an hour. Station attendants are paid $22.73 to $28.26; transit safety officers $31.77 to $36.28.

The union, which includes about 805 bus drivers, has never struck in GO’s 47-year history.

Union representatives did not return calls to the Toronto Star on Thursday.

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