Ottawa transit workers walked off the job Dec. 10 after failing to reach an agreement with the city. The strike dragged on until federal Transport Minister John Baird, MP for Ottawa West-Nepean, called an emergency debate on Jan. 29 to introduce back-to-work legislation. (CBC)

Seven months after a 52-day transit strike paralyzed Ottawa during some of the coldest weeks of winter, transit workers are voting whether to give up their right to walk off the job.

"Our members will decide of they want the labour peace or not," said André Cornellier, head of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 279, which represents 2,500 bus drivers and mechanics at OC Transpo, the transit company owned and run by the City of Ottawa.

Cornellier said he was the one who proposed settling all future disputes with binding arbitration. Members started voting on the proposal Thursday, and polls were to close at 4 p.m. Friday. Results are expected early Friday evening.

The City of Ottawa currently supports the proposal, Cornellier said. If members vote in favour, it will remain in effect until one of the parties no longer supports it.

If members vote against the proposal, future labour disputes may culminate like the one last winter, Cornellier said.

"It will be the same — strike or lockout."

Jim Haddad, the union's secretary-treasurer said labour relations will largely remain the same under the new proposal.

"We still go to the table and negotiate, but any outstanding issues will go to a binding arbitrator," he said.

Win-win: union

Haddad called the proposal a win-win for both sides and said he is hoping it will get the support of union members.

"This way there is no more stress on our members going on strike and there is no stress on the public."

As things stand now, OC Transpo union members can be ordered back to work by the federal government, which has the power to force arbitration.

"I'd rather have our own arbitrators that we picked that are fair than the federal government deciding the arbitrator for us," Haddad said. OC Transpo is under federal and not provincial jurisdiction because some of its buses cross into Quebec.

Ottawa transit workers walked off the job last Dec. 10 after failing to reach an agreement with the city.

The strike dragged on until federal Transport Minister John Baird, MP for the riding of Ottawa West-Nepean, called an emergency debate on Jan. 29 to introduce back-to-work legislation. That day, the city and union reached a tentative deal to resolve all outstanding issues with binding arbitration and the emergency debate was cancelled.

Union members ratified the deal on Jan. 31, a day after it was approved by council.