The labour dispute between local school bus drivers and the bus line Autobus Lasalle is now officially over, as a majority of drivers voted this morning (June 26) in favour of a new collective agreement. Denis Ouellette, a regional rep with Teamsters Local 106, the union representing 96 Autobus Lasalle drivers in the Pontiac area, said that 81% of the 79 drivers present this morning voted for the new contract.

The drivers had voted down a tentative agreement that was put to a vote last Sunday, as there were some concerns regarding unemployment pay over the summer when school is not in session. Ouellette said that those concerns were addressed in the new agreement.

The strike began on May 1, and has caused havoc for local parents who have had to shuttle their children to school for the past eight weeks. Both the English and French school boards have been reimbursing parents for a portion of their travel costs.

Ouellette said that the new contract would be for six years (until 2028), which was a sticking point for the bus companies as they wished to match the drivers' contract to their contracts with the various school boards.

The media representatives for Sogesco, Autobus Lasalle's parent company, have declined interview requests throughout the dispute and weren't available for immediate comment on the agreement being reached.

The full interview with Ouellette is available below: