Bus driver strike: both sides agree to government mediation

Bus driver strike: both sides agree to government mediation

After nearly three weeks at an impasse, the two sides involved in the ongoing bus driver strike are headed back to the bargaining table, this time with a government appointed mediator.

Teamsters Local 106, the union representing the bus drivers and SOGESCO, the parent company of local bus operators Autobus Lasalle and Bigras Transport, have agreed for the Quebec Ministry of Labour to appoint a mediator.

Denis Ouellette, a representative with the Teamsters, explained that the Ministry of Labour’s chief mediator reached out last week to see if both parties would resume negotiations with a mediator present. On Friday, Le Droit reported that Quebec’s Labour Minister Jean Boulet had “strongly encouraged” both sides to use the tools at their disposal to negotiate in good faith.

Ouellette said that today (May 18) he spoke with representatives from the bus companies and agreed to a joint request for the ministry to appoint a mediator, and added that he expects to be summoned to the bargaining table some time next week.

Ouellette stressed that this development did not necessarily signal an end to the strike, but merely the parties agreeing to resume negotiations.

CHIP 101.9 has reached out to the public relations firm representing SOGESCO for comment.

The full interview with Ouellette (5m15) is available here.