Laval bus drivers continued their two-day strike Saturday, leaving transit users without any service.
Hundreds of bus drivers marched in solidarity on Saturday to send a message to their employer. They want better pay, better schedules and a reduction of service on certain routes.
Union advisor Anthony Latour says bus drivers have been without a collective agreement for two and a half years and the Laval transit authority is unwilling to bargain.
“As far as quality of service and quality of workers, we’re just not on par with what’s being offered,” says Latour.
“They’re not serious at the table. We want to bargain and we are sorry for the Laval population, it’s the STL that is forcing a strike today.”
On Friday, service was offered during peak hours but on Saturday, 625 bus drivers walked off the job and service was cancelled completely.
In a statement on its website, the STL apologized for the inconvenience and said it finds it unfortunate the union made the decision to strike despite ongoing negotiations.
It says another meeting between the parties is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 29.
Paratransit and shared taxi services were not affected by the strike. Regular service is expected to resume on Sunday.