Transit Union Wants N.B. To Accept Federal Help

Saint John Transit workers are frustrated by the province’s decision to turn down federal funding for public transit.

Members of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1182 are holding information sessions around the city Tuesday.

Grant Logan, president of the union, says they are in desperate need of extra funding to keep the service running.

“We need a sustainable system here in the City of Saint John,” said Logan during a phone interview Tuesday.

“In a city of this size — we’re 201 square miles in size, geographically it’s quite large — we need a transit system.”

Earlier this year, the transit commission projected a deficit of up to $1.2 million due to fare suspensions and passenger restrictions.

The commission laid off several employees and reduced their service hours to help close the shortfall, which is now projected to be $500,000.

But the city’s finance committee approved a motion in late July asking the commission to reduce its deficit even further — to $250,000.

Logan said this could mean “dramatic” service cuts unless the transit commission receives more funding from the government.

“If you do cut your service, they have to find another means of transportation. Once you find another means of transportation, you do not get those people back,” he said.

In addition to the information sessions, ATU Local 1182 and their sister union in Moncton have launched a petition calling on the Higgs government to reverse their decision.

According to the petition, Moncton is reporting a $250,000 transit shortfall while Fredericton is projecting a year-end deficit of $770,000.

“The COVID-19 pandemic stretched thin every community in New Brunswick. Transit and essential workers got us through the worst of the pandemic health threat–now we turn to our political leaders to get us out of the financial hole,” reads part of the petition.

Logan said he feels hopeful the provincial government will change their mind and accept the federal funding.