Connor Lalande

Pontiac June 26, 2023

School bus drivers from the Local 106 of the Teamsters Union have agreed to an offer from their employer, Autobus Lasalle, that will end the drivers strike in the MRC Pontiac.

Members of the Local 106 Teamsters Union approved Autobus Lasalle’s latest offer in a union meeting that took place in Shawville on June 26, ending a school bus drivers strike that has been ongoing since May 1.

Drivers with the Local 106 approved Autobus Lasalle’s offer by 81 percent.

The deal includes a wage increase to $26/hour which will be “secured for future years due to an indexing clause” according to a press release made available by the Teamsters Union. Prior to the strike, drivers were receiving under $22/hour.

According to Director of Communications for Teamsters Canada Marc-André Gauthier, in addition to a wage increase, drivers received assurances that they would be eligible for unemployment benefits over the summer months. This comes after Local 106 drivers rejected the last offer by Autobus Lasalle on the grounds that securing unemployment benefits for the upcoming summer was necessary for an agreement.

“The contract is also good for the company as it will help them attract and retain workers,” said Gauthier in an interview with THE EQUITY, explaining that the deal was a win-win for both parties.

“The current economic conditions are challenging, but what the workers at Autobus Lasalle have demonstrated is that through organization and solidarity, we can collectively improve our conditions, and society as a whole benefits,” said President of the Teamsters Canada Union, François Laporte.