NORTH BAY, ON. – A strike by members of Local 1165-6 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), representing three transportation technicians who plan and ensure bus routing and transportation services for the Near North District School Board, the Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic District School Board, Le Conseil scolaire de district du Nord-Est de l’Ontario, and the Conseil scolaire Franco-Nord, will begin Monday, September 19th, after mediation talks failed to reach a settlement today when the employer, Student Transportation Services Nipissing Parry Sound, refused to back away from concession demands.
“We had hoped to avoid a strike, but management is demanding contract rollbacks and inferior working conditions for newly hired workers,” said Michelle Loiselle, CUPE National Representative. “It is disgusting to see student transportation disrupted because management wants to roll back our contract and treat future workers differently. We are urging parents to contact their school board trustees and demand a fair settlement to end this strike.”
The workers are employed by a transportation consortium, Student Transportation Services Nipissing Parry Sound, providing transportation services to all four area school boards. CUPE fought similar concession demands in recent talks with the Near North District School Board, where the same management negotiator was involved. Management concession demands include changes to hours of work and the introduction of two-tier sick leave and gratuities.
“Two-tier contracts undermine workplace morale and solidarity, and they represent an attack on young workers,” said Loiselle. “If they force these concessions on this group of workers, they will try and do the same thing with other school board workers in future negotiations. It’s important that we win this fight against concessions.”
For further information, please contact:
Michelle Loiselle
CUPE national representative
(705) 561-9076
Randy Milne
CUPE 1165 president
(705) 471-6360 (cell)
Robert Lamoureux
CUPE communications
(416) 292-3999