The employees send a message to Lehouillier who does not flinch

A hundred employees of the Société de transport de Lévis (STL) demonstrated Monday in front of City Hall to send a message to Mayor Gilles Lehouillier just before the council meeting after walking off the job all day.

In addition to improving salary conditions, the union is asking that the 110 STL drivers work full time. Currently, 30 employees are still part-time.

« The employees are united and they are ready to go into battle, » said the president of the South Shore Bus Drivers’ Union (CSN), Alain Audet after a fiery speech in front of his members.

“We want to improve the service. Mr. Lehouillier, you will have a surplus of $5.7 million, give a small part to public transit to improve the lot of employees and users,” added Mr. Audet.

Lehoullier does not flinch

Asked about the strike that paralyzed public transport in his city for 24 hours, the mayor of Lévis Gilles Lehouillier did not flinch on the demands of the workers deploring the break in service.

« What we asked of bus drivers is to respect taxpayers’ ability to pay and above all not to take users hostage, » he told press representatives.

Regarding the visit of the drivers to the city council, the mayor allowed himself to shoot an arrow in the direction of the members of the union.

“What I will have to answer them is to return to the negotiating table. The municipal council table is not a negotiating table. »

Resumption of negotiations

To this end, negotiations between the two parties will resume on Tuesday and continue on Thursday.

The president of the Conseil central de Québec Chaudière-Appalaches Barbara Poirier recalled that the issue of the discussions also affects the retention of personnel.

Since last February, seven STL employees have left the ship. According to her, Lévis cannot compete with the Réseau de transport de la Capitale, which offers better conditions.

“On the north shore, the drivers are all full-time, here not. 1 + 1, that’s another 2 for us. We hope that Mayor Lehouillier will understand that, ”she said.

The STL collective agreement expired on December 31, 2021. Without ruling out the possibility of holding other mobilizations, the Union does not plan a strike day in the short term.

With the collaboration of Jean-Luc Lavallée