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Winnipeg School Division 1 Bus Drivers Give Unanimous Strike Mandate, UFCW wants parents and students to be ready in case of strike

UFCW 832 members at Winnipeg School Division 1 voted 100% in favour of strike action after hearing details of how their employer wants to gut their collective agreement. There were 71 members in attendance at the meeting.

“We want parents and students to be ready with alternate plans in case of a strike,” stated Jeff Traeger, President of UFCW Local 832. “At a time when the division is having trouble keeping and hiring new drivers, the school division has proposed massive concessions to the driver’s contract, including taking away guarantees of pension, benefits and vacation.”

The current contract expired on June 30, 2019. The Union has been attempting to bargain with the school division since October of last year.

“It’s our hope with this unanimous strike mandate we can get the school division to show up and engage in meaningful bargaining to avoid a strike,” stated Traeger. “So far, their actions are showing our members that bargaining a fair contract is not a priority.”

The Union has set a strike deadline of March 24 and has offered 15 days to bargain a fair deal. The school division has so far only agreed to meet for two days at the bargaining table, one of those being the final day before the strike deadline.

UFCW 832 represents roughly 95 bus drivers for Winnipeg School Division 1.