Transit strike hits snowbound Ottawa

OTTAWA, Dec. 10 (UPI) -- Commuters in Canada's capital city were grappling not only with more than 12 inches of fresh snow Wednesday morning, but an Ottawa transit strike.

As heavy snow fell Tuesday night, city spokesman Michael FitzPatrick broke the news talks between OC Transpo and the Amalgamated Transit Union local 279 had come to a stalemate, the Ottawa Citizen reported.

Bus service stopped at midnight as snowplows tried keeping arterial streets cleared, the Ottawa Sun said.

The 2,300 transit workers have been without a contract since March. The main issues are wages for the next three years, scheduling, sick leave and contracting out work to non-union workers, the Citizen said.

City officials said the strike will mean about 20 percent more vehicles will be on the snowy roads, the Sun said.

Nearly all school boards in and around the capital region canceled school bus service for Wednesday, the newspapers said.

Forecasters said the heavy snow would give way to later flurries Wednesday afternoon.