Bus drivers picket District 5
Published Saturday November 7th, 2009
Allege contract violations
CAMPBELLTON - Bus drivers and janitors from across northern New Brunswick held a peaceful demonstration earlier this week over working conditions and alleged contract violations by School District 5.
About fifty people showed up outside the offices of the school board in Campbellton on Tuesday, where under the slogan "Solidarity" they chanted for an hour their demand for the right to retain their 15-minute break during their workday.
While the demonstration was in French, Anglophone drivers from School District 15 also showed up as a sign of solidarity and support of their fellow drivers. The demonstrators wanted to ensure compliance with agreements that they believe are not honoured by the district offices.
Donald Pollock, president of CUPE Local 1085, one of three locals at the demonstration, said it was clear to him the school board was bending if not breaking the contract, which expires next April.
Drivers work one of three shifts, either five-, six- or seven-hour runs. Pollock said the director of administrative services and finance, Eloi Doucet, has been playing favourites in determining which runs go to which drivers.
"He started the school year by changing runs and bullying drivers he didn't like," said Pollock. "Two bus routes were cut in Campbellton, meaning drivers have to come from outside the city, do those runs, then go back to their regular route. He's trying to nickel and dime drivers out of their 15-minute break which will drop them back to a five or six from a seven and it's not right."
"We signed a contract and he was the last to sign it but the first to break it. We are here today to let him and everyone else know that we aren't going to just let this happen," added Pollock.
Daniel Leger, president of Public Service Service Alliance of New Brunswick, also spoke at the event.
"We want to make sure the contract and the negotiation process are respected," he said. "We see here an employer who uses the economic crisis to blame the workers."
Board officials said they take the rights of employees seriously. Doucet was targeted through placards waved by demonstrators.
"In terms of the collective agreement, I shall guarantee the observance of collective agreements," he said. "It is clear that there may be disputes, but there are ways in each collective agreement to settle these disputes."
Although a meeting was held last week between unions and human resources director Michelle Levesque, he said he was not aware of the plans made by the drivers for Tuesday morning and would not comment on specifics.
"It is certain that the grievance process may be confidential until a certain point, but everything revolves around working conditions and difficult decisions resulting from budgetary cuts last March."
- with files from Aline Essombe
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