STO buses parked as some of its workers strike

OttawaThe transit agency says it will not be running buses in Ottawa-Gatineau starting Monday morning after the union representing several dozen supervisors refused an offer to enter arbitration. Union refused arbitration offer Sunday, so buses won’t runCBC News · Posted: Oct 19, 2025 6:26 PM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours agoSTO buses make their way through downtown Gatineau, Que., in this undated archival photo. Buses are parked Monday morning after the transit workers’ union declined to enter arbitration on Sunday and is now on strike. (Jonathan Dupaul/Radio-Canada)Commuters in the Ottawa-Gatineau should prepare for delays and disruptions Monday morning as workers with the Gatineau, Que., transit agency walk off the job.Last week, the union representing about 50 mechanic supervisors, inspectors and trainers with the Société de transport de l’Outaouais (STO) warned that its members would strike Monday if their demands weren’t met. ATU 1557 has said their members earn 20 to 25 per cent less than what workers in similar jobs make in Ottawa and across Quebec.The STO has said, however, that wages are being brought in line with those being paid at OC Transpo.On Sunday, the STO proposed to settle the dispute through arbitration, but the union declined the offer.Following that refusal, the STO issued a French-language statement, saying there would be a “complete suspension of public transit service” on Monday morning.”Without [those workers] the public transit system will not be able to provide reliable and safe service over the next week,” wrote spokesperson José Lafleur.”However, the public transit system is currently evaluating various service scenarios for the following weeks.”On paratransit and on-demand service are running.No agreement since 2022The union and the STO have been without a collective agreement since the end of 2022. The transit agency had already advised riders to make alternative plans in case of a Monday strike.The Treasury Board Secretariat of Canada, meanwhile, said last week that public servants should discuss arrangements “such as telework or flexible work hours” with their supervisors. With files from Trevor Pritchard and Radio-Canada