Lethbridge Transit experiencing significant route cancellations

A Lethbridge Transit bus is seen in this undated image. (CTV News)

LETHBRIDGE, ALTA. — City of Lethbridge Transit has experienced significant route cancellations over the last few days.

One of the factors leading to the delays is labour action taken by the local transit union.

Lethbridge Transit employs 65 bus drivers. When maintaining that level of staffing, less than one percent of routes are cancelled under normal circumstances. However, a recent wave of illness has had a major impact on staffing.

“We haven't lost drivers. We have 65 drivers right now on fixed routes. Most of them are all full-time, some part-time. And it's really a matter of some of them are sick right now. So, it's due to short-, medium- and long-term absences,” said Darwin Juell, City of Lethbridge transportation manager.

In these situations, other drivers would usually pick up voluntary overtime shifts to help cover routes.

But most transit workers have stopped picking up these shifts leading to further delays.

“We don't classify it exactly as a work to rule. It's working inside the confines of our collective agreement. Our operators have initiated a no voluntary overtime, provision. There's a provision inside our collective agreement in which states that no employee shall work overtime against their wishes,” said Local 987 Amalgamated Transit Union president Travis Oberg.

The overtime refusal stems from frustrations over working conditions.

Drivers are supposed to have a 15 per cent recovery time to rest, stretch or use the washroom.

But according to the union, new route designs haven't allowed drivers to get a proper rest.

“Unfortunately, for three years, we've gone through collective bargaining. We secured some language at the bargaining table where the employers to work to achieve 15 per cent recovery time. Unfortunately, since then, there's been limited movement on getting that recovery time implemented,” said Oberg.

The city is working to address the cancellations caused by illness and the work to rule order. Recruiting efforts for additional drivers are underway.

“Right now we have to work with both the union and the scheduling committee on, making sure this is a balancing act of, making sure shifts are reasonable for drivers, but also reasonable for the public," Juell said.