Saskatoon Mayor Don Atchison explains end of lock out

Following an appearance on Saskatoon Morning, Mayor Don Atchison addressed local media to talk about the transit situation.

Atchison said city council didn't authorize the second lockout notice on Saturday morning. They didn't want to move ahead with the lockout unless they knew the move was legal, he said.

"Why would we start another lockout, and then find out that it was illegal?" he said. "We have said right from Day One that we would never knowingly do anything that was illegal. Until we have all the reasons from the labour relations board and what their findings are, and for our administrative and our legal department to digest it and see what's going on, executive committee said, 'in its best interest, let's get the buses back on the road, and let's get going.'"

• Mayor Don Atchison speaks on Saskatoon transit lockout
• City withdraws lockout notice, Saskatoon buses back on road Monday

Council held a special meeting Saturday evening and voted against going ahead with another lockout. 

Atchison said the city solicitor told council they were on safe legal ground when the first lockout notice was issued just over four-weeks ago. If they didn't believe it was legal, he said they wouldn't have gone ahead with the lockout. 

He said he's asking for a judicial review of the Saskatchewan Labour Relations Board's decision that the first lockout was illegal. He does not know when the decision will come out. 

It is not know when negotiations will restart, he said, adding that he hopes they will be back at the table next week.