Roughly 2,000 students from the Patriotes and Riverside school boards on Montreal’s South Shore are affected by striking school bus drivers on Tuesday morning.
The drivers for BE Grise Transport, who belong to the Quebec Union of Service Employees, announced the one day strike on Monday. Members have voted to give the union an unlimited strike mandate but have announced no plans to go beyond Tuesday’s action.
The affected Riverside routes are the following:
- Courtland Park International & Mount Bruno Schools buses 711 / 712 / 713 / 715 / 716 / 724 / 731.
- Harold Napper School: bus 912 a.m. only. Good Shepherd School: buses 818 p.m. only / 912 a.m.
- Terry Fox School: bus 807.
- Heritage Regional High School: buses 254 / 401 / 402 / 404 / 406 / 408.
- William Latter School: bus 767
Union communications advisor Benoit Hamilton said no negotiation session took place on Monday.
Only students who ride buses owned by BE Grise in St-Bruno-de-Montarville are affected.
The bus drivers are asking for an increase in pay, saying they earn only $20,000 to $25,000 per year, with some making even less.
More South Shore bus drivers, belonging to unions in Ste-Julie and Longueuil, have announced another unlimited general strike for April 23, which will affect another 2,000 students.
