OC Transpo drivers could be on strike - and commuters stuck in the cold - as early as Dec. 10 if weekend contract talks don't produce a new deal.
They are voting all day Wednesday on whether to walk off the job, and could issue a 72-hour strike notice on Sunday, Dec. 7.
About 2,100 drivers, O-Train operators, dispatchers, and maintenance staff have been without a contract since April. The Amalgamated Transit Union is asking for a 10.5-per-cent raise over three years, plus concessions on sick days, scheduling, and workplace safety insurance.
Bus drivers leaving meetings on Wednesday told CTV Ottawa that more than 90 per cent of union members are expected to support a strike.
One OC Transpo driver said the City of Ottawa had offered a 6.2-per-cent raise over three years, with a $1,400 bonus.
City council will hold another special meeting on Thursday to discuss the proposals. Transit Committee Chairman Alex Cullen said the offer on the table is a good one.
"Obviously the city is always prepared," Cullen said. "But I don't think any new or special plans are warranted at this point. We hope to have success at the bargaining table."
OC Transpo supervisors and special constables have already voted to strike on Dec. 23 without a new deal.
