On strike since May 1st, 100 school bus drivers affiliated with Teamsters Local 106 have ratified a new collective agreement.
Laval, QC, June 21, 2023 – At a union assembly held today in Gatineau in Outaouais, 100 school bus drivers, affiliated with Teamsters Local 106, ratified a new collective agreement with Bigras Transport, a subsidiary of Sogesco, at 98%. Bigras Transport provides school transportation in the Gatineau region.
On strike since May 1st, these drivers finally feel valued. Starting next fall, they will benefit from a substantial wage increase, with an hourly rate that will exceed $26 per hour and will be guaranteed for the coming years thanks to an indexing clause.
François Laporte, President of Teamsters Canada, celebrated this outcome: “Today, a third of the drivers on strike in Outaouais have finally been shown the respect they deserve. Their courage has paid off and we can all be proud of what they have accomplished.”
This resolution allows one third of the 300 school bus drivers on strike in Outaouais to return to work.
For Denis Ouelette, the Teamsters Local 106 union representative responsible for negotiations in Outaouais, this resolution shows that an agreement is possible: “Since the beginning of the conflict, our message has been clear: sit down with us and we will find common ground. With Bigras Transport, we have reached a contract that will allow the company to continue its operations while enabling its employees to work with dignity.”
A similar offer from Autobus Lasalle, another subsidiary of Sogesco, will be presented to its 100 striking workers in the next few days, at an assembly in the Pontiac MRC. For the moment, Autobus Campeau, which also has 100 drivers on strike in Outaouais, has not yet come back to the table.
With over 125,000 members, Teamsters Canada is the country’s largest transportation and supply chain union. It’s also the largest union in the federally regulated private sector. 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.
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Marc-André Gauthier
Director of Communications, Teamsters Canada
Cell: 514-206-0492 | [email protected]
