RTC bus service resumes amid unanswered questions
Ruby Pratka, Local Journalism Initiative reporter
editor@qctonline.com
On July 13, the Réseau de transport de la Capitale (RTC) announced that city bus service would gradually resume the following morning, and fully return to normal by noon, putting an end to a 10-day strike by the bus mainte- nance workers’ union, timed to coincide with the Festival d’été de Québec.
A labour tribunal ruling in a separate dispute involving the RTC and its drivers’ union in 2023 found that the RTC was not an essential service. As a result, RTC service was completely halted for the duration of the strike, and people without easy access to a car had to rely on long walks, expensive backup plans, creative car-sharing arrangements, or àVélo bikes – assuming there were some available – to reach their destinations.
“We are relieved that the strike is coming to an end and that our customers will be able to resume services as of Monday [July 14], particularly those who rely on public transit and who were greatly impacted by the complete service disruption. We are also pleased that the drivers will be able to return to work,” said Maude Mercier Larouche, president of the RTC, in a statement.
An indefinite transit strike is not off the table. The collective agreement between the RTC and the maintenance workers’ union, the CSN-affiliated Syndicat des Salariés (ées) d’entretien du RTC, expired in September 2024, and no new collective agreement or agreement in principle has been signed as of this writing. The union held a two-day strike in late May, and in June, 100 per cent of members voted for a strike mandate “potentially including an unlimited general strike.” At the time, union president Nicolas Louazel accused RTC representatives of failing to lay out their demands clearly, “wasting time” and “being unable to respond to simple questions.”
Mercier Larouche said negotiations were ongoing between the city-funded RTC and the union. “We are making every effort to reach a lasting agreement that is viable for both parties and respects citizens’ ability to pay,” she said.
“As an organization that defends the rights of low-income people, we support union efforts to achieve better working conditions,” said Émilie Frémont-Cloutier, community facilitator and spokesperson for the Collectif TRAAQ, which advocates for low- income transit users. “However, we cannot ignore the negative social impacts that a complete shutdown of public transit will have on the most vulnerable populations. Thousands of people, primarily women, seniors, people with dis- abilities and those living in isolation, will be cut off from all means of transportation. This means they will be unable to get to the grocery store, the pharmacy, medical appointments or even community outreach centres. During the first strike on May 22 and 23, a Radio- Canada report highlighted these concrete impacts: reduced use of the La Bouchée Généreuse food assistance program, and families forced to pay for expensive alternative transportation to get to school or work.”
Mercier Larouche said bus pass holders would be reimbursed for the impact of the strike, but that a reimbursement system would only be set up once the RTC and the union reach an agreement in principle.
No one from the maintenance workers’ union or the CSN had responded to requests for comment from the QCT by press time.
Editors’ note: Transit users, how did you work around the strike? If you’d like to share your strike story with us, please email editor@qctonline.com.