Ottawa transit workers say they're disappointed that their strike continued into its 41st day Monday after the city rejected a proposal from their union late last week.

"It was a bit of lunch-bag letdown for me, too," bus driver Jason Fitzgerald said while walking the picket line at OC Transpo headquarters Monday morning.

"I was really, really hoping that something would happen."

'Well, it's like we're in a death grip with the city.'— Bus driver Paul Sowden

Amalgamated Transit Union Local 279, which represents about 2,300 striking transit drivers, dispatchers and maintenance staff for OC Transpo, proposed Friday that its members could be back on the job Monday if the city agreed to set aside the controversial issue of worker scheduling for later and send the rest of the contract to binding arbitration.

The union also agreed to the city's proposal to hire an independent fact-finder to look into issues surrounding scheduling.

Over the weekend, city council unanimously voted to reject the offer and issue a counter-offer to send the entire collective agreement to binding arbitration — with the stipulation that the resulting contract doesn't cost more than the city's last offer and "respects national safety and work-rest standards" for commercial vehicle operators.

On Saturday, ATU 279 president Andre Cornellier issued a statement saying the union was disappointed in the city's response.

Cornellier said the arbitration process "would not be neutral under their conditions."

Bus driver Paul Sowden said it seems as if things are once again at an impasse.

Strike 'pending' since early 2008: driver

"Well, it's like we're in a death grip with the city and unfortunately they don't seem to want to bargain in good faith," Sowden said Monday as he warmed himself next to a fire barrel at the picket site on St. Laurent Boulevard.

Sowden said bus drivers were aware since the beginning of last year that a strike "was pending" and hence are ready to stick out longer.

"Many have worked the overtime in summer and have saved up our pennies so that we can carry ourselves through."

But one of Sowden's colleagues said living on strike pay isn't easy.

"One hundred and 50 bucks — it just kind of pays for Kraft Dinner, you know?" said John, who works in the parts department at the OC Transpo garage and wouldn't give his last name.

He said he is frustrated with the city, which he perceives to be playing "more hardball" than the union.

But he acknowledged the union also deserves some blame in the dispute.

"Both sides, I think, are being hard-headed and stubborn, right…? Got to get these politicians and union people together and sit down and buy pizza and a case of beer or something and get them at a table and hash it out, right?"

No full service until 14 weeks after strike: city

Meanwhile, the City of Ottawa announced over the weekend that after the strike ends, it could take up to 14 weeks for full transit service to resume. However, 70 per cent of the service could be back within three weeks.

Council said it voted to ask ATU 279 to allow its mechanics and maintenance staff to return to work immediately to get ready for the end of the strike.

OC Transpo head Alain Mercier said close to 300 buses need safety inspections, while others need battery changes and mechanical work.

"The reality is we only have so much capacity to do maintenance," he said Monday, adding that a prolonged strike means there will be fewer buses ready to run at the end of the strike, and therefore less work for junior drivers.

As of Monday, no talks were scheduled between the two sides. The city will not respond to the union's statements as long as they continue to be communicated indirectly, city councillor Georges Bédard said Sunday.

"It'll have to be at the bargaining table," he said. "They can make it in the media but at the end of the day we will only discuss it at the bargaining table."