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After more than four months, a school bus strike in Montreal, involving some 350 drivers, has finally come to an end. The strike, which began on Oct. 31, 2023, left parents of around 15,000 students scrambling to find alternative transportation to get their children to and from school every day.
Resolution of the Strike
In a news release on Thursday, the CSN union representing the Autobus Transco drivers announced that members had voted 69.4 per cent in favor of a proposed settlement put forth by a conciliator. The main sticking point during negotiations was related to remuneration.
The new six-year contract includes a 43 per cent pay increase, retroactive to July 1, 2022. Carole Laplante, president of the STTT–CSN union, stated, “During this period, we will therefore go from the current weekly salary of $634 to $907 on July 1, 2027.”
Positive Response
A spokesperson for the Lester B. Pearson School Board expressed that the development was viewed as positive. Other affected school boards included the English Montreal School Board, Centre de services scolaire de Montréal, and the Centre de services scolaire Marguerite-Bourgeoys.
The hope is that buses will be back on the road next week when children return from spring break. Transco spokesperson Claude Breton mentioned that most routes should be operational as of Monday morning, but cautioned about possible issues on some routes. Parents are advised to wait to hear from their respective school boards to confirm if their bus routes are back in operation.
Conclusion
In conclusion, after a long and challenging period, the school bus strike in Montreal has finally been resolved, bringing relief to thousands of students and their families. With the new contract in place, drivers can look forward to improved remuneration, and parents can expect a return to normalcy in their daily routines. The impact of the strike on the community has been significant, but with this resolution, there is hope for a smoother and more stable future for school transportation in Montreal.
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