Drivers approve contract which includes a 21.5 wage increase over seven years
Bus drivers in Longueuil, QC – located just outside Montreal – have reached a seven-year collective agreement giving themselves a wage increase of more than three per cent each year.
About 475 Reseau de transport de Longueuil (RTL) drivers voted 84 per cent in favour of the new contract. Workers will also receive additional sick days, weekend and night bonuses, and long-term disability insurance.
“This is a solid foundation for quality transportation service,” said Michel Robidoux, president of CUPE, Local 3333, which represents the drivers.
One of the most contentious issues between the union and RTL was the lack of washroom facilities along bus routes in the city. RTL has agreed to construct washrooms in the terminals, but acknowledged that could take up to three years. Until then, chemical toilets will be installed.
About 700 RTL bus drivers belong to CUPE, Local 3333 in total. They have been without a contract since December 2009. The new contract expires at the end of 2016.
