Acadian Lines refuses arbitration offer, says union
CBC News
Posted: Feb 17, 2012 8:55 PM AT
Last Updated: Feb 17, 2012 8:54 PM AT
The Acadian Lines contract dispute halted services in New Brunswick and P.E.I. on Dec. 2. (CBC)Acadian Coach Lines has refused an offer to go to binding interest arbitration and have employees return to work, according to the union.
The contract dispute has halted bus service in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island for more than two months.
The Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1229 offered to go to arbitration on Wednesday, president Glen Carr stated in a news release.
But the company turned down the latest offer on Friday, he said.
"Your request for arbitration is completely without merit … Acadian does not agree to this approach," the response signed by Nancy Krisko, vice-president of human resources in Quebec, stated, according to Carr.
The union “is willing to go back to the table with the company and have asked the mediator to ask for meeting dates, but we have heard nothing from the company,” said Carr.
Talks between the two sides last weekend – the first held since the lockout began on Dec. 2 – also failed.
Company officials said at the time that limited progress was made during the negotiations and they felt the two sides were still far apart.
Acadian Coach Lines maintains it needs to make changes to its organization and how it assigns drivers in an effort to lessen its financial losses.
Acadian Coach Lines lost around $2 million operating buses in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island last year. The company lost more than $7 million in the last eight years, officials have said.
The union represents about 60 bus drivers, mechanics, maintenance workers and customer service representatives in the two provinces.
It is encouraging members of the public to contact their local mayors, MLAs, and MPs, as well as officials with Groupe Orleans Express in Montreal and Orleans Express in Quebec City to demand bus service.
Acadian Coach Lines still runs in Nova Scotia because the company's employees in that province are part of a different union, but connections between Nova Scotia and Quebec have been affected.
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