Ottawa's transit union raised concerns about the city's decision to service the Ottawa General Hospital with taxis this week, before that decision was reversed.
In a letter dated Sept. 2 and addressed to OC Transpo general manager Alain Mercier, Amalgamated Transit Union 279 president Garry Queale said his union wasn't notified of the city's plan to replace route 106 with a city-sponsored taxi service.
"There was no opportunity for the Union to suggest how this clearly needed bus service could be performed by ATU members," he wrote. "In fact, I only learned about this plan through the media as I was not even given the courtesy of a telephone call."
The same day as the letter was sent, a news conference was called to announce OC Transpo would operate a shuttle bus to the hospital from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. instead of a subsidized taxi service.
Queale said in the letter that they didn't agree with the city's decision to scale down bus service, but accepted that it was the direction of city council.
However, he said he did not agree with the city's decision to service the hospital with drivers outside his union, suggesting that it would break their collective bargaining agreement.
"If the City wants to provide public transit services to the Ottawa General and Ottawa Rehabilitation Hospitals it will do so using buses driven by my members," he said. "Be advised that if you do attempt to put taxis into service Tuesday morning, the Union will take whatever steps are necessary to ensure that our rights under the collective agreement are respected."
Route 106 was one of many cut or changed in a major OC Transpo route shuffle, which came into effect Sunday.
The first day of the new weekday schedule is Tuesday, since Labour Day Monday will operate on a Sunday schedule.
