The pain will continue for tens of thousands of commuters in Halifax after Metro Transit employees resoundingly rejected the latest 'final offer' from the city.
Union members voted 78 per cent against the deal.
The Halifax Regional Municipality had presented what it called a final offer to the Amalgamated Transit Union yesterday.
"We gave the union a good offer worth $14 million within a deal that will also save HRM $8 million over five years," said Mayor Kelly in a press release today. "We cannot afford to take more from the wallets of taxpayers, and that's what is going to happen if we let ATU keep its current scheduling system."
Friday, 750 workers showed up at the Halifax Forum to vote on the new offer.
They arrived around 10 a.m. and were briefed on the contract details before heading to the polls. The union also voiced its opinion on the offer and answered questions from workers.
The voting continued until 2 p.m. and then just before 3 p.m. the union announced their decision.
The contract included a $1,500 signing bonus, to make up for wages lost due to the strike.
But the drivers continue to take issue with rostering, a type of scheduling that would allow the employer to block off workers' schedules, which is also included in the new contract.
"Rostering has been the contentious issue all along and now that it's been included in this contract, the workers do not seem happy about it," said CTV News reporter Kelland Sundahl.
Around 750 Metro Transit workers parked their buses and ferries and took to the picket lines Feb. 2 after talks broke down between the city and the union.
This has left roughly 55,000 transit users without a ride for more than three weeks.
With files from CTV Atlantic
