SASKATOON – The Saskatchewan Labour Relations Board has ordered the City of Saskatoon to issue an official letter of apology to a senior transit driver.
The board says the driver was wrongfully suspended for not wearing his seatbelt and not securing his bus when he got up to deal with an unruly passenger in December.
Doug Mongovius told the board he got up to ask a student from Walter Murray Collegiate to leave the bus after the youth pushed another passenger down.
But he says when he complained to a manager and asked for action to be taken against the student and a friend who then confronted Mongovius, he was instead accused of taunting the student and putting hands on him.
That’s when he was suspended without pay for three days.
The union complained and the city rescinded the suspension, paying Mongovius for the three days, but he wanted the letter of apology.
“I have given 20-plus years and done nothing wrong until this so I was flabbergasted,” Mongovius said, adding he nearly fell off his seat when he read the suspension letter.
“I wanted something to be done to the students, we don’t deserve to be treated like this.”
Jim Yakubowski, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union, says the incident affected all transit operators in Saskatoon.
“I’m very happy with the fact that Doug got the opportunity to bring his issue forward,” he said.
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