‘Anti-worker’ status change for Winnipeg Transit Plus drivers voted down

A controversial change of status for Winnipeg Transit Plus drivers, which some feared could leave them with lower pay and fewer benefits, has been rejected.

On Thursday, Coun. Janice Lukes (Waverley West) raised a successful motion that called for the changes to be “received as information,” which means the city will not act on them.

Coun. Brian Mayes (St. Vital), mayoral candidate Kevin Klein and the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1505 had all urged city councillors to reject the changes.

Mayes deemed the proposal a “ridiculous anti-worker provision.” It would have repealed a 2023 council decision that required Transit Plus drivers to be employees of companies the city hires to provide accessible transit service.

Mayes said taking no action will keep the protections in place, which prevent “sub-minimum wages” from being permitted for subcontracted drivers and ensure the workers can access multiple benefits.

“We put in a regime that said everyone’s going to be an employee. I’m proud of that. These people who are driving these vehicles are going to be treated decently. They’re getting a minimum wage, at least, and they’re getting Canada pension and a Workers (Compensation),” said Mayes.

Supporters of the change initially argued it was needed to attract enough workers to provide the service.

Mayor Scott Gillingham had voted in favour of the altered requirements at executive policy committee but said that was due to a misunderstanding of the impact.

“It’s clarified now that what we changed years ago, with Coun. Mayes’s (2023) motion, should remain in place to provide all the protections that (it) offered,” said Gillingham.

City council cast the final vote to keep the current rules in place.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

X: @joyanne_pursaga