For organic farmer Amanda Penuta, getting a driver’s licence isn’t just a matter of convenience. It could mean the life or death of her new business, a community-supported farm she plans to launch next year.

Penuta, 25, is one of thousands of Ontarians waiting for an end to the strike at the province’s DriveTest Centres, which began in August.

If she is unable to complete her G1 exit test by spring, she’ll have to rely on rides from others to get her errands done and take a tractor for trips to the market. With the strike now in it's 12th week, she is hopeful it won't last much longer.

The two sides in the dispute met most recently on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. DriveTest managing director Paul Dalglish says some progress was made, but he’s not hopeful it was enough to end the work stoppage.

“We presented an offer that the union has agreed to take to its membership to vote,” he told CP24.com in a phone interview. “They said they are going to recommend the membership reject it."

The results of the vote will be released on Wednesday.

One of the main issues had been language in the proposed contract that would allow management to perform tasks that fall under the purview of union workers.

United Steel Workers Local 9511 said allowing management to do union work would mean a likely reduction of union positions down the road.

Dalglish said DriveTest has now agreed to change the wording to prevent management from doing such work, and has also agreed to union demands related to seniority.

He said the management’s main sticking point is the installation of a return-to-work program for people on disability claims.

Local 9511 President Jim Young says the union has other concerns with the working environment as well. He says DriveTest often books several road tests in the same slot, forcing examiners to rush to get everyone through and leaving little time for important steps such as car safety checks.

“The employer’s policy is to be 100 per cent productive,” he told CP24.com. “The company is expecting that every minute you work for the employer, you have to be bringing in revenue.”

Prior to 2003, driving testers worked for the Ministry of Transportation. DriveTest was established after the jobs were contracted out to international conglomerate Serco on a 10-year contract.

Young says his membership of about 550 driving examiners across Ontario is eager to get back to work.

“The employees in the union by no means wanted to go on strike,” Young said. “We started bargaining in February and (the) strike didn’t happen until August. The union granted three extensions to avert a strike.”

For the duration of the job action, those who need tests can still book appointments through DriveTest’s automated system.

Dalglish is encouraging would-be licensees to keep a spot booked, and to book a new appointment immediately if the strike goes beyond their reserved date.

Normally at this time of year, DriveTest issues about 2,500 licences each day. In the summer peak season when the strike began, about 4,000 licences were being issued per day.

The lengthy work stoppage has led to fears there will be a double cohort of people requiring tests when it ends: those booking their appointments for the first time and those whose previously-booked tests were cancelled.

Dalglish says he doesn’t expect that to be a problem if workers return to the job during the winter months.

“We’re now into the low season when we typically would not have nearly as much work,” he told CP24.com. “If you look at the kids -- that’s our big workload and a lot of them are going to be in school.”

The province has granted an expiry date extension for drivers requiring a test to renew their licences, but it is not clear how long it will extend beyond the end of the strike.

Dalglish said DriveTest will ask people who don’t need their licences right away to hold off for a while if they can, but concedes there is no mechanism in place to enforce that request.

Meanwhile, Penuta and others across Ontario wait for good news.

“I can’t spare two hours just to ride my bike to town if something breaks down on the farm,” says Penuta, whose Sweet Pea Farms is located in Vittoria, near Port Dover. “Living in the country is pretty much impossible without a licence.”