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Bus drivers with the Société de transport de Laval (STL) voted 56.1% in favour of the tentative agreement their union announced last April 29. Following more than 89 meetings, the union managed to obtain an agreement it recommended to its members.
The agreement would not have come to fruition had it not been for the steadfast mobilization of the drivers, who called strike days, demonstrated and banded together in their fight. By taking political action with the Laval city council and the board of the STL and by waging a major awareness campaign, the union obtained gains for its members, despite the pandemic that devastated public transit services.
“We’re quite proud of this agreement that provides safeguards to deal with runaway inflation and brought us gains on monetary and non-monetary issues in our collective agreement. The solidarity and tenacity of the members and the bargaining committee produced some excellent results! We owe the members a big thank you for putting their shoulder to the wheel,” said Patrick Lafleur, president of the union representing STL bus drivers (SCSTL).
The eight-year agreement runs from August 2019 to July 2027 and calls for the following increases: 2%, 2%, 2.5%, 4.5%, then CPI +0.25%, CPI (minimum of 2.25% and a maximum of 3.5%), CPI (minimum of 2.25% and a maximum of 3.5%) and CPI + 0.5% for the last year.
“The built-in CPI safeguards will offer members some protection from price increases and raise their wages over and above inflation,” added Lafleur.
Other major gains include a historic job protection clause to be applied in cases when self-driving vehicles (buses) are used or acquired.
The bargaining committee will now sit down with the employer and come to an agreement on the official text of the agreement. A retroactive payment dating back three years will be issued as soon as possible, and new provisions of the collective agreement shall take effect as soon as it is signed.