By Robert Frank
School bus service Autobus Duplessis
believes it is possible to avoid a labour dispute that threatens to strand thousands of
Commission scolaire de Laval (CDSL)
schoolchildren.
Last week, 94% of its 80 bus drivers voted
to give their leaders a mandate to strike
over wages, if necessary, though they have
committed to warning parents of 5,100 primary and secondary students at least three
days before doing so.
“Negotiations between the union and
Autobus Duplessis are going well and are
taking place in a calm and respectful
atmosphere,” Anna Di Fruscia, the company’s director of communications, said in a
news release.
“The union and the employer remain
confident that they can reach an agreement
at the earliest opportunity,” she said, adding
that many provisions have already been agreed upon.
“Discussions are continuing within the timeframe that both parties have set out.
The employer remains attentive to its
employees and favours an approach that
will lead to a solution.”
School board officials say that they are
exploring alternative measure to attenuate the impact on school safety, should a strike
take place.
They have advised parents who want to
remain apprised of developments to refer to
the cslaval.qc.ca web site.
The CDLS serves more than 44,000 students, half of whom rely on school bus service to get to and from school.
