Trois-Rivir0065s, Saturday, October 4, 2003 Bus drivers from the Socit de transport de Trois-Rivir0065s (STTR) will go on strike tomorrow morning. For the public in Trois-Rivir0065s, the impact of the strike will really be felt as of Monday, as the STTR normally offers reduced services on Sunday.
For the entire duration of the strike, essential services will be maintained. Tomorrow (Sunday), only adapted transit services will be operating. As of Monday, in addition to adapted transport, regular services will be available in the morning from 6:45 to 8:45 and in the late afternoon from 4:15 to 6:15. There will be no regular service on weekends or holidays.
The last meeting between management and the union was held on October 1, with a conciliator appointed by the labour minister. No agreement was reached. No other meeting has taken place since then, although talks have not broken off.
The bus drivers have been without a contract since December 31, 2001. Contract talks started up over a year and a half ago on February 20, 2002, but still havent led to a satisfactory settlement. The urban transit drivers held a 3-day strike from June 6 to June 8.
The union will hold a general membership meeting on Sunday evening, behind closed doors. No comments will be issued before the members meet. Monday morning, the union representatives will however meet the press to give an update on the dispute and the issues at stake.
Local 4115 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE-FTQ) represents bus drivers, mechanics and office workers, for a total of 100 STTR employees.
CUPE has approximately 6,500 members in urban transit in Quebec. Besides urban transit, CUPE is also active in 10 other sectors including universities, communications, education, municipalities, airlines, health care and social services. With close to 100,000 members in Qub0065c, it is the largest union affiliated with the FTQ.
A copy of this press release and other information can be found on CUPE-Quebecs website: scfp.qc.ca
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SOURCE: CANADIAN UNION OF PUBLIC EMPLOYEES (FTQ)
Information: Robert Bellerose
CUPE-Quebec Communication Branch
cell: 514-247-9266