School bus strike deadline approaches

TORONTO, March 20, 2018 /CNW/ - Unifor Local 4268 is negotiating with First Student Bowmanville as school bus drivers in the Durham and the Kawartha regions approach a strike deadline at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday March 21.

"Unifor is still at the negotiating table seeking a fair settlement from First Student," said Naureen Rizvi, Unifor Ontario Regional Director. "It's our hope that a deal can be reached before midnight so that strike action can be averted but the drivers are prepared to take a stand against unpaid time and low wages if need be."

The strike notice affects routes in the Durham, Durham Catholic, Kawartha Pine Ridge and the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Boards. Community members should visit Student Transportation Services for Central Ontario at www.stsco.ca and Durham Student Transportation Services at www.dsts.on.ca for school listings and cancellation notices.

The union is obligated to issue 72-hours strike notice but in order to provide additional time for parents and students to make alternate arrangements notice was served on March 15.

"There is a known crisis in the school bus industry as driving jobs have become less and less viable," said Debbie Montgomery, President of Unifor Local 4268. "As the union for Ontario school bus drivers Unifor has been working to raise standards across the sector by fighting for gains during round-by-round bargaining sessions with First Student so the company is very well aware of what is needed to reach a new contract."

The drivers have been in a legal strike position since December 10, 2017 and negotiations have been ongoing over the past six months.

Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector, representing 315,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad, and strives to create progressive change for a better future.

SOURCE Unifor