Unifor Local 4304 has four days to reach a deal with the Region of Waterloo before roughly 850 Grand River Transit workers enter a legal strike position at 12:01 a.m. on May 1, 2026.
“We are working hard on behalf of our members, who are proud to serve many communities across the region,” said Local 4304 President Heath Abbott. “We are prepared to work around the clock over the next four days, but ultimately the Region of Waterloo must recognize the hard work of the men and women who make Grand River Transit successful.”
Local 4304 members delivered an overwhelming strike vote earlier this month. The bargaining committee says it will work through the coming days to avert a walkout before the contract expires.
Unifor National President Lana Payne said a work stoppage is not a certainty. “A strike is not inevitable. The region must work with us to achieve a fair collective agreement that addresses wages, scheduling, and benefits,” said Payne. “Unifor is committed to finding a solution at the bargaining table.”
The local represents approximately 850 workers at Grand River Transit. The membership includes operators, maintenance technicians, service attendants, and reservationists.
The union says wages, scheduling, and benefits are the key outstanding issues in negotiations.
Unifor describes itself as Canada’s largest private-sector union, representing 320,000 workers across major sectors of the economy.
