At its most recent meeting, UMSU’s board of directors issued its support for the Amalgamated Transit Union 1505 (ATU) in their ongoing labour dispute with the City of Winnipeg, as well as its support for investment into improved transit service by the municipal and provincial government.

The motion “recognizes the immense value of an improved transit system for all students given the role it plays in creating an accessible education and a sustainable society (and) endorses the ATU’s commitment to improved transit service demonstrated in the current labour negotiation.” It also pledges UMSU to “work with the ATU, and student and community organizations to press for improved transit service, and UMSU representation on the internal scheduling review committee.” Finally, UMSU acknowledges the “harmful effects of the provincial government’s decision to remove 50/50 funding for Winnipeg transit and advocate for this funding to be restored.”

The motion was moved by UMSU President Jakob Sanderson, and was presented after a long period of engaged discussion from the board and a presentation from the ATU (Winnipeg Transit was also invited to attend). The city has pledged publicly to honour its contract with UMSU to offer pro-rated rebates to all affected post-secondary pass and UPASS users should a service stoppage last longer than five days, and we expect them to hold to this commitment.

UMSU is steadfast in its commitment to sustainable transportation and accessible education, and looks forward to working towards these goals throughout the upcoming term.

For media information, please contact:

Jakob Sanderson, UMSU President

Phone: 204-474-6519
Email: pres@umsu.ca

The University of Manitoba Students’ Union is the official representative of the over 25,000 undergraduate students at the University of Manitoba.

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