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There may be school bus disruptions ahead if CUPE workers and a school transportation consortium can't come up with a new contract by Tuesday.
Seven workers plan and coordinate bus routing and school transportation services for the Nipissing-Parry Sound Student Transportation Services (NPSSTS), which provides transportation services to four area school boards: Near North District School Board, the Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic District School Board, the Conseil scolaire de district du Nord-Est de l'Ontario, and the Conseil scolaire Franco-Nord.
But you may not notice any difference for a while.
Operations Manager Dan Johnson told BayToday that "Our routes are already established and locked down which means we won't see any changes for the next couple of weeks.
"Some students may be assigned to the closest stop possible.
"The only thing is that special requests for transportation that come in, probably will take a little longer."
Colin MacDougall, CUPE 1165 President says those requests include getting students to sporting events and extra-curricular activities.
"They'll have managers trying to do the work of our members," said MacDougall, who still hopes a strike can be avoided.
Monique Drapeau, CUPE National Representative feels things could unravel quickly.
"If NPSSTS does not back away from these demands, and if we are not able to achieve a fair settlement in negotiations, students and parents could face a transportation nightmare next week, and that's the last thing we want."
"Our members work hard to make sure children get to school safely and on time. But current management proposals are simply not acceptable."
Drapeau explained that the school route planners are not part of the broader group of direct school board workers and that the workers have their own collective agreement.
"However, NPSSTS's management has failed to recognize that distinction and is now trying to cherry pick provisions from the school board workers' contract that would roll back many of the route planners' working conditions.
"This local was on strike for a month in 2005 and fought hard to protect their working conditions. Though sacrifices were made at the time, the employer is now seeking further cuts in this round of bargaining," said Drapeau.
Meanwhile NPSSTS say school bus operators are not impacted and will continue to provide safe and effective school transportation for the students of the four member boards.
"Parents and caregivers can expect that school bus services contracted to the NPSSTS will run as usual on Tuesday," says a news release.
"Buses are going to be running, no doubt about it," said MacDougall. "We are not going to be able to shut the buses down."
The NPSSTS manages and coordinates transportation services for four local member school boards over a region that stretches from West Nipissing to Mattawa, and from Temagami to Parry Sound, Novar and MacTier, including North Bay and all towns and villages in between.
They arrange transportation for over 12,000 students to 72 schools, covering more than 40,000 km daily.
Questions regarding ongoing labour talks should be directed to the NPSSTS office at 705-472-8840 or to [email protected].
