Drivers are forced to go on strike following their employer's refusal to reach a negotiated agreement
LAVAL, QC, May 3, 2023 /CNW/ - 100 school bus drivers affiliated with Local 106 of the Teamsters Union were forced to go on strike today, following their employer, Autobus Campeau's, refusal to negotiate a new contract.
The drivers demand fair wages that reflect their responsibilities and the role they play in their community, as well as improved working conditions.
They provide a portion of school transportation for the Draveurs School Services Center, the Portage School Services Center, as well as private schools Collège St-Joseph (Hull) and Collège St-Alexandre (Gatineau), in the Outaouais region.
François Laporte, President of Teamsters Canada, says this situation is deplorable: "Once again, we are witnessing workers who have no choice but to go on strike for their rights, while their employers refuse to listen to their legitimate concerns. These drivers would rather be behind the wheels of their buses and doing their jobs, but Autobus Campeau has made this impossible."
These drivers join 197 other school bus drivers, also members of the Teamsters Union, employed by Autobus Lasalle and Bigras Transport, who have been on strike since Monday, May 1st in the region.
Denis Ouellette, the union representative of Local 106 involved in the Outaouais negotiations, calls on the carriers to come to the table and negotiate: "We have heard in the media that some carriers say they don't have the money to increase drivers salaries. We tell them that we have reached agreements with other carriers elsewhere in Quebec; come sit with us."
The Teamsters Union encourages citizens affected by these strikes to express their support for the drivers by urging schools in the region to pressure carriers to return to the negotiating table.
With over 125,000 members, Teamsters Canada is the country's largest transportation and supply chain union. The organization represents workers at CP, CN, UPS, Purolator, countless trucking companies, and more. They are affiliated with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which represents over 1.2 million workers in North America.
SOURCE Teamsters Canada
Media requests: Marc-André Gauthier, Director of Communications, Teamsters Canada, Cell : 514-206-0492 | [email protected]
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