Eastern Ontario schools may face bus disruptions as contract negotiations stall

There may be disruptions to school transportation in eastern Ontario this upcoming school year due to a breakdown in contract talks.

Student Transportation of Eastern Ontario (STEO) — a not-for-profit organization that negotiates annual service contracts with school bus companies — says drivers for the Upper Canada District School Board and the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario have rejected its recent offer.

The STEO released a statement earlier this week saying the two parties were “very far apart” in negotiations on compensation.

“The total compensation value of the school bus operators’ position far exceeds funding available to school boards for transportation,” the STEO said.

The STEO said it offered raises that surpassed inflation but the offer was still rejected.

Tuesday afternoon, the Eastern Ontario Bus Operators Association responded with its own statement saying negotiations were going well until the STEO offered an “ultimatum” with a “take it or leave it offer.”

“Their latest offer would result in our school bus operators losing money on every route, every day and that’s not fair in anyone’s books,” said Frank Healey, president of Healey Transportation and a spokesperson for the Eastern Ontario Bus Operators.

The bus operator association said its bus drivers have been making below market price for years, a wage that works out to about $19 an hour.

Healey added that despite talks breaking down between the two parties, bus operators continue to prepare for the beginning of school in September. Healy said bus operators are hoping to take the matter to mediation.

“It’s our hope that STEO will sit down with us and have productive discussions,” Healey said.

The STEO noted that it would not be able to find alternative modes of transportation for families if a deal is not reached by the beginning of the school year.