The Société de transport de Laval (STL) deplores the fact that Laval transit users will bear the brunt of yet another strike called by the bus drivers’ union and scheduled to take place on November 26 and 27. The union’s decision will result in significant disruptions to bus service, affecting Laval residents as well as Laval businesses and their customers. During the strike, bus service will be scaled back severely on Friday and halted on Saturday. 

STL management sincerely apologizes for the inconvenience that the bus drivers’ strike may cause transit users and finds it unfortunate that the union has made that decision despite ongoing negotiations. Another conciliation meeting is scheduled for November 29. STL believes in reaching a settlement through negotiations, not through actions that hurt transit users. 

Public transit has taken a hard hit these past two years, with the pandemic causing a massive drop in ridership and resulting in considerable revenue losses for the entire metropolitan area.

As the STL continues to navigate these challenging financial times, it has recently renewed collective agreements with the maintenance and clerical workers’ unions. The comprehensive offer submitted to the union is fair and comparable to the offers in those collective agreements. What’s more, City of Laval employees and other bargaining units representing bus drivers across Québec have agreed to the same rates of pay. 

November 26 and 27 schedules

On Friday, November 26, the bus system will run at 50% of its regular service levels, which means there will be big gaps in the schedule, with no service between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., for example. There will be NO bus service on Saturday, November 27, meaning that transit users will have to find other means of transportation from 12:30 a.m. on Saturday through around 4 a.m. on Sunday when service is set to resume.

The STL would have liked to keep buses running on Saturday, November 27, and asked that service be maintained, but did not convince the union and the board. 

Keep up to date on the latest developments at STLaval.ca/strike.
 
Essential services

Scheduling during a strike is a closely regulated legal process. The employer and the union negotiate to decide what essential services will be maintained throughout the strike. The agreement is then approved by a Tribunal administratif du travail judge.

Public transit is considered an essential service under the Labour Code insofar as it is instrumental in ensuring the unimpeded passage of emergency vehicles (e.g., police cars, fire trucks, ambulances).