School bus drivers across the region could be going on strike as of next week.
Unifor Local 4268 President Debbie Montgomery says the union, which represents First Student Canada school bus drivers for the Bluewater District School Board (BWDSB) and the Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board (BGCSB), issued a strike warning a couple of weeks ago.
“We are bargaining a collective agreement. We gave the company notice that we have to bring bargaining to a conclusion and it can either come to a conclusion with a deal, or these workers will strike action,” says Montgomery.
Unifor says 92 per cent of its members from Owen Sound voted in favour of a strike mandate on Sept. 24, and unanimously in Kincardine. There are 105 bus drivers in Owen Sound. In Kincardine there are 42 bus drivers and two apprentices.
Montgomery says the dispute is about wage increases and unpaid work time. A deal will need to be reached by Friday, or strike action could occur as early as Monday.
The strike action could affect students in Owen Sound, Meaford, Thornbury, Hepworth, Lion’s Head, Tobermory, Holland-Chatsworth, Wiarton, and Kincardine.
The bus drivers in Kincardine service 34 routes for both the BWDSB and BGCSB and transport 2,260 students in communities including Saugeen Shores, Kincardine, Tiverton, Tara, and surrounding rural areas.
“We are really hopeful we get a deal, that is our goal here. We have spent more than a week at negotiations scattered over time and we are at the monetary component of bargaining. We are talking directly about wages and compensation to these hard workers who have a very big responsibility transporting children of all different needs back and forth to school each day safely,” says Montgomery. “We are hoping that we can bring this part of our discussions to a conclusion, and the service will remain uninterrupted.”
She was unable to speak to what their desired compensation increase would look like at this time because of the ongoing negotiations.
“We are looking for something that reflects the responsibilities these people have and historically, that has been a very difficult thing to achieve,” says Montgomery. “Given the times that we have been living in, wages certainly haven’t kept up with the cost of living and inflation, so there is a little bit of catching up to do here for sure.”
Montgomery is hopefully optimistic a deal will be reached.
“People should be prepared to make alternative arrangements for their kids,” says Montgomery.
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