CUPE 4946 member Dellis Partridge was killed at work on Monday, February 2.
Partridge, 60, had worked as a bus driver previously. He had just been hired as a casual driver and was on his first shift with the Peace River School Division when his bus was involved in a head on collision with a semi truck near Grimshaw, Alberta about 500 km northwest of Edmonton.
Fourteen students were passengers on the bus, all sustained injuries, as did the truck driver. There were no other fatalities.
CUPE National President Paul Moist expressed condolences to Mr. Partridge’s family and best wishes to the injured passengers and truck driver.
“On behalf of all CUPE members, I offer our deepest condolences to Mr. Partridge’s family and friends. Our thoughts and prayers are with them. It is a terrible tragedy and we can only be thankful more lives were not lost.”
CUPE National Secretary-Treasurer Charles Fleury also offered condolences.
“We are shocked and saddened by this accident, we wish a speedy recovery to the passengers and other driver, and we express our deepest sorrow to the family for their loss.”