From My Bottom Step

Received this afternoon.

A note of caution. It comes from LTC management and doesn’t appear to have been endorsed by the provincial mediator or the union. FMBS has received nothing from the union since the strike began and it’s website doesn’t appear to have been updated since 2009/11/27.

The position of FMBS continues to be the same. That unless both parties are prepared to carry on negotiations in public, that any information released by either side in the dispute should be taken with a very large grain of salt.

To: All News/Public Service Directors
From: London Transit Commission
Date: Monday, December 04 2009; 3:33 p.m.
Subject: LTC Labour Issues

During mediation talks held today, Friday, December 4, 2009, the Commission presented its final offer to the ATU – Local 741.

ATU – Local 741 has advised that it will be presenting the Commission’s offer to its members recommending the offer be rejected. The Commission is hopeful that the ATU – Local 741 will accept the final offer. A summary comparison of the major items included in both the Commission’s final offer and previous offer is set out below.

A copy of the final offer in detail is available on the Commission’s website.

If the Commission’s offer is accepted, full service will be restored on a progressive basis after an initial delay as maintenance employees require time to service sufficient buses to start up limited service. This will take approximately one week. The nature of the limited service will be subject to a future announcement.

Again, the Commission apologizes for the significant inconvenience the strike has and continues to have on our customers and the public at large.

Summary Comparison of Major Items Tabled On Nov 14 and Dec 4, 2009
	LTC Offer – November 14, 2009	LTC Final Offer – December 4, 2009
Term:	3 years	3 years
Wages:	9.3% wages All classifications	9.3% wages All classifications
Operator Rate: Skilled Trade Rate:	From $23.08 to $25.00 From $26.81 to $29.02	From $23.08 to $25.23 From $26.81 to $29.31
Benefit Improvements:	Improvements to Long Term Disability program	Improvements to Long Term Disability program
	Increased limits on Psychologist coverage	Increased limits on Psychologist coverage
	Improvements to Post Retirement Benefit Program	Improvements to Post Retirement Benefit Program
	Addition of major restorative dental coverage	Addition of major restorative dental coverage
		Addition of coverage for braces/orthodontics
		Increase Short Term Disability program to 75%, and reduction in current waiting period
Working Conditions:	Increase of $0.50 in night shift premium	Increase of $0.50 in night shift premium
	Other changes to working conditions agreed upon by the parties	Other changes to working conditions agreed upon by the parties
Total Contract Cost:	9.0% in cost of compensation over the 3 year term equating to $2.7 million	10.3% increase in cost of compensation over the 3 year term equating to $3.0 million
Previously Tabled Positions Oct 22/09	8.5% in cost of compensation over the 3 year term equating to $2.5 million