Quebec names negotiator to assist with stalled college bus contract talks

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QUEBEC CITY — With the beginning of the varsity yr rapidly approaching, many college service centres nonetheless haven’t reached an settlement with college bus drivers, main the federal government to mandate a negotiator.

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The Ministry of Schooling introduced on Wednesday the appointment of Claude Sauvageau as negotiator “to ensure a dependable and protected transportation service for all Quebec college students.”

Discussions are nonetheless underway between the federal government and the Fédération des transporteurs par autobus to facilitate the renewal of contracts. A gathering was to be held Wednesday between representatives of the carriers and Sauvageau, Schooling Minister Jean-François Roberge confirmed.

“We’re actually transferring into excessive gear,” Roberge advised reporters. “We’re coming into a serious blitz and I’m assured we’ll discover a answer.”

Sauvageau’s mandate can be to “rally the events towards a typical place,” the press launch says. He may even act as a help to the varsity service centres and faculty boards which can be engaged in a “negotiation dash” with transporters.

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Roberge defended himself for having let the file drag on whereas the beginning of the varsity yr is imminent.

“We began in Might, within the spring, to barter with the carriers. There are a number of contracts that had been already signed. There are contracts being signed day-after-day,” he mentioned, noting that lower than half of the agreements stay to be settled.

“The vital factor is (that the contracts) are all signed earlier than the beginning of the varsity yr,” Roberge mentioned, refusing to disclose the precise variety of agreements nonetheless pending.

In accordance with the ministry, a number of scholar transportation contracts expired on June 30 and renewals have been gradual for plenty of causes, together with inflation, which is affecting the working prices of corporations, and a scarcity of manpower, which might result in service disruptions in some areas.

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The Fédération des centres de providers scolaires du Québec (FCSSQ) says it’s ready to “deploy contingency measures.” Whereas the potential of suspending the beginning of the varsity yr or providing distant studying has been dominated out, some have prompt public transportation may very well be used or that daycare providers may very well be provided to permit mother and father to drop off their youngsters and return to choose them up.

The FCSSQ says every college day with out busing saves about $5 million, which provides service centres room to fund different measures.

In its press launch, the federation mentioned it welcomed the appointment of Sauvageau and mentioned it was “reassured” by the continuation of negotiations. It hopes these steps taken by the Quebec authorities will make it attainable “to conclude contractual agreements with the carriers based mostly on the out there finances.”