Curious to know what’s happening with the inner workings of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 279, the union that represents bus drivers.

According to recent memos to its membership, workers have asked for a forensic audit be done by KPMG on the union’s finances going back to 2007. Then there was apparently a motion of no confidence, which was shot down by the union head office because, according to a memo, members can’t demand an election unless the board is being charged with a criminal offence.

All this, and we hear the executive is already unhappy about where negotiations with the city are heading. The union received notice of the city’s intention to disband a benefit trust during negotiations and tweak the long-term disability plan.

One thing I’ve noticed is union acting president Mike Aldrich has been around City Hall a lot more. He’s been sitting in on meetings and getting to know the new council.

Aldrich has made statements about some of the mayor’s budget suggestions, but he has been careful to speak on some issues, such as the OC Transpo peer review, without first going over the report with his board. When reporters have tried to dig for a bit of city-vs-union controversy, Aldrich has smartly declined to go down that road and has said he doesn’t want to negotiate through the media.

As much as us reporters thrive on controversy, this is probably a good move by Aldrich.

But as contract negotiations heat up with the city, we have to wonder what kind of fires the union executive is trying to extinguish on the inside, too.