2023-11-26 17:15:13
The reduction in service announced for this winter in the Capital Transport Network (RTC) is the result of a shortage of vehicles, not drivers according to the union which is not angry and blames the leaders for the poor management of available buses .
• Read also: Reduced service this winter for RTC buses: more than 360 departures canceled per week
Missing parts for repairs and “deficient” fleet planning, the Union of Public Transport Employees of Metropolitan Quebec (SETPQM) does not adhere to the RTC theory according to which a shortage of drivers justifies the withdrawal of 360 departures per week on his network.
“That makes no sense! If we say that we are angry, that would be a very weak word,” immediately launches the president of the SETPQM, Hélène Fortin, in an interview with The newspaper. “The main reason is a lack of vehicles and the employer should mention this and assume that they are doing poor management and planning. [des autobus].»
Ms. Fortin argues that these management problems lead to drivers twiddling their thumbs rather than providing bus trips.
“We can frequently find ourselves with 25 or 30 drivers, per day, who do not go out to do their work stop because they do not have a vehicle. These are therefore customers who have their trips canceled,” she illustrates.
For its part, the RTC assures that the drivers’ union “knows [ses] labor issues”. “[Ils] were widely discussed during the recent negotiation [d’une convention collective]», Says RTC spokesperson, Raphaëlle Savard.
“The RTC in no way calls into question the work and mobilization of its drivers,” adds the spokesperson, who assures that the organization is “actively in action” to recruit new drivers.
Work overload
The union also denounces a lack of communication on the part of the RTC since it learned in the pages of the Quebec Journal reduced service for the winter.
The SETPQM also fears that this reduction in service will increase the workload of drivers who are already “overloaded”.
While several public transport networks are showing significant deficits due to the decrease in ridership since the COVID-19 pandemic, the RTC would be just as popular as before, according to the union.
“During the negotiations [de la nouvelle convention collective] the employer told us that they have taken back almost 90% of the pre-pandemic clientele,” notes Hélène Fortin.
The SETPQM adopted a new collective agreement for RTC bus drivers on July 5 following leading a five-day strike.
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