A tentative agreement’s been reached between First Student Canada and unionized school bus drivers in Owen Sound and Kincardine.
Unifor Local 4268 president Debbie Montgomery confirms members in the Owen Sound area ratified the deal yesterday and as of Friday evening, both locations of First Student (Owen Sound & Kincardine) have accepted the three-year tentative agreement which won’t expire until March 31, 2028.
The agreement avoids a potential work stoppage, as the bus drivers were in a legal strike position and had said they intended to walk off the job next week without a deal.
Terms of the tentative agreement weren’t immediately disclosed. Montgomery told Bayshore News earlier this week wages and unpaid work time were among the top issues in collective bargaining.
There are more than 100 school bus drivers for First Student Owen Sound, which provides service for the Bluewater District School Board, Bruce-Grey Catholic Board and CSC Providence (French Catholic Board). First Student Kincardine employs more than 40 drivers and also provides service to schools in the Bluewater and Bruce-Grey Catholic boards.
Between First Student Owen Sound and First Student Kincardine, more than 8,000 students are shuttled to and from schools across the Grey Bruce region daily.