Montreal’s school transportation workers have landed a new contract, boosting wages and improving working conditions for drivers and operators.
The agreement covers both bus drivers and minibus operators. They’re looking at a wage bump of 20 to 21 percent right off the bat, depending on what they drive. Plus, there’s a lump sum payment and some bonus increases coming their way. Regular bus drivers will see their hourly pay go up by $4, while minibus drivers will get a $3.66 raise.
The best part? These wage hikes are retroactive to July 1, 2023. The contract also ties future salary increases to the Consumer Price Index for School Service Centres, which is a smart move. And there’s a nice 30 percent boost in pay for charter trips too.
Another big win is the creation of regular positions, which helps tackle job insecurity for many workers. Carole Laplante, the president of the school transportation sector, highlighted how this will help lift employees out of precarious situations.
Union leaders are celebrating this victory, saying it’s a huge step forward for workers who have been pushing for better pay and conditions for a long time. Josée Dubé, the Vice-President of the FEESP-CSN, pointed out that this improvement is well-deserved.
Dominique Daigneault, the President of the Conseil central du Montréal métropolitain-CSN, expressed pride in the workers’ hard work. He noted that these drivers play a crucial role in getting students to school every day.
The contract also shines a light on a bigger issue in the sector: the need for better wages to tackle service disruptions and staff shortages. Caroline Senneville, President of the CSN, emphasized that every gain in school transportation helps raise wages across the board. She hopes these increases will help end the service breakdowns caused by low pay in the industry.
