Uniforms back on as bus driver union, OC Transpo agree to meet to discuss 'multitude of issues'
Just hours after the head of the union representing OC Transpo drivers asked them not to wear their uniforms to work as a protest against management, Clint Crabtree says he's rescinded the request after getting a commitment from OC Transpo that changes are coming.
Crabtree, the president of the Amalgamated Transit Union 270, said a meeting is set for Friday morning to discuss a "multitude of issues that we are going to tackle head on."
In a memo to drivers Wednesday night Crabtree had told them "We need to stand together united, to fix all of the working conditions and the toxic work environment that exists today."
Some riders told CTV News Ottawa their drivers were wearing jeans in place of a uniform Thursday morning while others were still in company-issued clothing.
Crabtree said other issues include "unjustified discipline, layoffs" and "bus scheduling that is unrealistic and puts all operators' safety in jeopardy." He says there have been a number of resignations due to work-life balance issues.
In a statement OC Transpo General Manager Renée Amilcar said “OC Transpo is committed to fostering a workplace culture built on strong, open communication with our employees. The management team meets regularly with the unions, to receive feedback from employees and find constructive solutions. This relationship is important to continue to grow a healthy workplace and is why we continue to work collaboratively together."
Crabtree says the public is the number one priority.
"If it comes to re-deploying routes to the routes that need it and the routes that are not being used and utilized need to be redeployed to those routes that really need the service that’s what we need to do," says Crabtree. "We need to look at overall scheduling and we need to improve it so that the public has reliable transit. If they have reliable transit they’re happy our members are happy everyone is happy everyone is satisfied."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories

U.S. assassination attempt charges 'confirm' Trudeau's claims about India had 'real substance,' former national security advisers say
The indictment of an Indian national for the attempted assassination of a Sikh separatist and dual U.S.-Canadian national 'validates' Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegations that the Indian government may have been involved in the killing of a Canadian citizen as having 'real substance,' according to two of Canada's former national security advisers.
Bonnie Crombie wins Ontario Liberal leadership after 3 rounds of voting
Ontario Liberals have selected Bonnie Crombie, a three-term big city mayor and former MP who boasts that she gets under the skin of Premier Doug Ford, as their next leader to go head to head with the premier in the next provincial election.
Trump calls Biden the 'destroyer' of democracy despite his own efforts to overturn 2020 election
Former U.S. president Donald Trump on Saturday attempted to turn the tables on his likely rival in November, President Joe Biden, arguing that the man whose election victory Trump tried to overturn is "the destroyer of American democracy."
Search for runaway kangaroo in Ontario continues
The search continues for the kangaroo that is hopping around somewhere in Ontario after it escaped zoo handlers from a transport truck Thursday night.
What was a hospital like in medieval times? Researchers analyzed 400 skeletons to find out
In medieval times, hospitals took care of the 'poor and infirm,' but how were inhabitants selected and what were their lives like? Researchers analyzed 400 skeletons to find out.
James Webb Telescope confirms existence of massive dusty galaxy from early universe
New observations from the James Webb Space Telescope have confirmed the existence of a massive, dusty, star-forming galaxy which was first spotted years ago by a ground telescope, but was completely invisible to the Hubble Space Telescope.
Rocky planets may be able to form under more high-stress scenarios than previously known: study
A study of one of the most extreme, radiation-heavy environments in the universe has found that it might be possible for rocky planets comprised of water, carbon and other familiar molecules to form under far more intense circumstances than previously believed.
Teen girls are being victimized by deepfake nudes. One family is pushing for more protections
A mother and her 14-year-old daughter are advocating for better protections for victims after AI-generated nude images of the teen and other female classmates were circulated at a high school in New Jersey.
7.6 magnitude earthquake strikes off the southern Philippines and a tsunami warning is issued
A powerful earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 struck Saturday off the cost of the southern Philippines island of Mindanao and Philippine authorities issued a tsunami warning.