More than 300 school bus drivers employed by First Student in Durham Region have voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action as negotiations stall over wages and work-life balance.
The drivers, represented by Unifor Local 4268, could be in a legal strike position as early as April 22. Two bargaining units — one in Bowmanville and the other covering Ajax and Whitby — returned strong support for the mandate. The Bowmanville group, which includes 152 drivers, voted 98.3 per cent in favour, while the 185-member Ajax and Whitby unit voted unanimously to support strike action.
Split shifts and low pay at issue
Drivers currently earn around $20 per hour and work split shifts that total about four hours a day, according to the union.
“It’s a part-time job with a full-time commitment,” said Debbie Montgomery, president of Unifor Local 4268. “This employer is very inflexible, so it’s hard to work this job and try and find other work elsewhere. It’s high responsibility. Our drivers are the front line and they’re taking the brunt of frustrations from the public.”
Unifor National President Lana Payne said the vote reflects frustration over working conditions.
“School bus drivers who bear the tremendous responsibility of safely transporting children deserve to make a living wage,” she said. “Strike action is not something we take lightly, but we will stand with our members to get a fair contract.”
Part of a broader push
Unifor also represents First Student drivers in several other Ontario communities, including Kingston, Owen Sound, Sarnia, Chatham, Kincardine/Port Elgin, Prescott and Cornwall. Across Canada, the union represents over 2,000 school bus drivers and more than 20,000 members in the road transportation sector.
Negotiations with First Student are ongoing.
