While negotiators hashed it out behind closed doors hour after hour on Sunday, transit workers and supporters held two public rallies ahead of a possible strike on Thursday.

The first was in Dartmouth near the Wyse Road hotel where negotiations were underway. The second was in front of city hall, where several unions, labour groups and NDP leadership hopefuls in town for a debate called for negotiation, not dictatorship, from the municipality.

They also called for Mayor Peter Kelly to step down.

At one point, nearly everyone in the crowd of about 200 texted Kelly on his cellphone all at once.

Transit workers have rejected the municipality’s last contract, and a strike deadline is Thursday at 12:01 a.m. All the signs of an imminent strike are there: Notices for workers to clean out their lockers by Wednesday and rallies planned for Thursday.

But Shane O’Leary, vice-president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 508, said the fact negotiations were still going after eight hours on Sunday was a good sign.

“They must still be moving forward,” he said.

Many transit workers said Sunday they don’t want a strike, but won’t back down either.

“If council and the mayor really care for their job security, which is what they’re challenging for us, they wouldn’t allow this transit to shut down this city,” said bus driver James Cameron.

“This transit is choosing to go out on strike for legal rights, not because we want to punish the people. We lose far more than they do.”