Talks to end a transit strike that has crippled the nation's capital for more than one week are expected to resume as early as this Saturday.
The decision to return to the bargaining table comes after a Thursday morning meeting between Ottawa Mayor Larry O'Brien and Amalgamated Transit Union vice president Randy Graham.
"We decided together that we would get back to the table and ask for help from the federal mediation services to get back to the table with no preconditions on either side -- discuss them openly and see if we can find a solution," said Graham.
No preconditions means nothing has been taken off the table, including driver scheduling.
"Despite what you may have heard, nothing has been removed from the table and we have not agreed on any process in advance," O'Brien said in a memo issued to city council following the morning meeting.
Ottawa residents welcome new talks
Ottawa residents inconvenienced by the strike say weekend talks can't come soon enough.
"It's kind of funny that it takes three days to start talking after a week of already not talking," said one resident.
"Good news for sure," said another.
Cornellier says both sides need to work together
Although picket lines went back up outside Ottawa City Hall Thursday morning, striking transit workers were not disruptive and did not clog streets as they did on the first day of the strike.
The agreement to resume negotiations also sparked a co-operative approach from the transit union's president.
"We have to work together, the management and the union -- together, to resolve our issues," Andr� Cornellier said Thursday afternoon.
Drivers concerned about public backlash
Still, drivers manning the picket lines on Thursday told CTV Ottawa they're worried about what will happen when the strike is over.
"None of us want to get assaulted, spit on, swore at," said one driver.
"I've been here 10 years. I've been spit on two times; I've had my life threatened . . . these guys upstairs don't care," said another.
The decision to resume talks comes one day before Ottawa city council is scheduled to meet behind closed doors to get an update on the situation.
With a report from CTV Ottawa's Kimothy Walker
