Transco school bus drivers still on strike as Quebec students return to class

Dozens of Montreal-area school bus drivers picketed outside the Centre de services scolaire de Montréal (CSSDM) Tuesday.

Some 350 Transco drivers have been on unlimited, general strike since Oct. 31. They are looking to negotiate higher salaries.

Tuesday’s picketing coincided with the return to class for Quebec students following the winter break and weeks of teachers’ strikes.

The CSN union representing the drivers says the strike is dragging on unnecessarily.

“We have people in the union that go to food banks… right now in order to survive,” spokesperson Marcel Boudreau told CityNews. “And the amount of money that we’re getting even when we’re working isn’t sufficient. So that’s why the government last year decided to raise up for each contract the amount that they were given for public funds in order to raise up our salaries.

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“But it never reached us. It was blocked at the private owner, a company which is owned by Americans. And the money is… they just kept it in order to raise up their margin of profit. That’s it. Instead of giving it to drivers, which it was intended for.”

The Transco job action is affecting the commute of around 20,000 students from the English Montreal School Board (EMSB), the Lester B. Pearson School Board (LBPSB) and the Marguerite-Bourgeoys school service centre.

“We’re saying to parents that we know that right now it’s not easy for them,” Boudreau said. “We really were sorry. But we kind of had no choice because. We’ve been trying to negotiate since last year. It’s been close to 18 months now and nothing is happening. It was the only last resort that we had to go out on strike in order to get this deal going because nothing’s moving. We’re stalled right now.

“An end would be possible if the transport company would start to negotiate seriously.”

Lester B. Pearson School Board compensating parents

The LBPSB says families affected by the Transco bus driver strike will receive compensation, retroactive to Oct. 31.

“If your child is entitled to bussing as per the LBPSB transportation policy, a reimbursement of $7 per child per day will be paid. If your child receives bus services through our courtesy or accommodation bussing, the daily amount you paid will be reimbursed,” the school board wrote in a letter to parents Tuesday.

“Please note that strike days and pedagogical days are not included in the reimbursement.”

The school board says it is working on a distribution method for the payment, with more information coming next week.

CityNews reached out to the EMSB to find out if parents there are also entitled to compensation.