Acadian Bus Lines New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island Work Stoppage Finished

The tentative deal was made up in the late evening of May 2nd with the help of a mediator, and the new Vice President Denis Gallant for the company who hails from the Maritimes in Moncton, New Brunswick.
Voting of the Amalgamated Transit Union 1229 occurred Sunday May 6th. Even before the voting Glenn Carr, president of the Union said his co-workers would probably accept it, and they did with 92% in favour.
After a "five month contract dispute" (They were locked out by the company after voting 98% to go on strike December 2nd, 2011, so more like 6 months) buses will be gradually running within ten days. They are giving time to get employees back as well as buses, because a lot of them were sent out of the province after the strike started.
It wasn't even money that was the problem to begin with it was the working conditions as well. I still did not see it fit to have a company over four provinces, and give raises, and better benefits to Nova Scotia, and Quebec, and not Prince Edward Island, and New Brunswick.
A lot of people are still throwing the "I am never using your service again", and honestly they can throw that threat around, but the train is limited in schedule, and locations like mentioned in a previous entry. Some people do not like the idea of Ride shares too so they are stuck riding the bus. There are also others trying to get Greyhound into the province. With Acadian back we do not need another bus, I mean I have heard about Greyhound being amazing, but it would take time to move it out here, and it would probably be difficult. Common sense doesn't exist sometimes.
I am very excited to have the company working again in New Brunswick as it will be easier to travel. At the first of the strike I was infuriated, and sent the most ridiculous email saying I would never use their services again. I emailed them two months later with a more well written, and respectable email saying mostly what I have been in previous entries about the strike.
Great to have them back, now hopefully now that there is better work conditions coming for the employees the service will improve as well.


Older Posts About the Strike (Newest to Oldest):
Acadian Bus Lines Strike End in View
Acadian Bus Lines Negotiations Fail
Acadian Bus Lines Possible Arbitration
Acadian Bus Lines New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island Strike

Acadian Bus Lines Possible Arbitration

I have been watching the Acadian Bus Line situation since before the strike. The company has locked out the workers, and they are on week two of the lock out. In many cities supporters have joined the ranks of Amalgamated Transit Unit 1229 in the picket lines, some with creative posters like the Grinch. This has been happening in Moncton, and Fredericton. An Arbitration Representative has been chosen to pick a side, and if all goes well the buses could be running soon as mentioned in the following article: Arbitration Possible for Acadian Coach Lines. This could be good, or bad depending on where it goes, but it could possibly lift the lock out, and workers could go back to work. This is a crazy time of year to lock-out workers, and discontinue the only intercity coaches in the province. Not only are the New Brunswick students stuck but anyone from elsewhere that isn't travelling by train, car, or plane to specific designations past New Brunswick, or within the province. Some places have organized charter buses while others solutions are finding rides with other students home.
In the end since the workers were going to strike they were locked out so patrons of the service lost either way.
While looking for an image for this article I came across this: Driver is N.S. Bus Plunge Had Previous Crash. Now that is slightly scary. I used VIA Rail in 2010 on the same day as this: VIA Rail Train Derails in Quebec, but thankfully I got off in New Brunswick as I had been coming home from a March Break Trip. This completely scares me off from transportation because you never know when this could occur.

Acadian Bus Lines New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island Strike

Acadian Lines Intercity Coach picking
up passengers at a designated point
along the routes. (Photo taken by me).

I have been hearing since October that Acadian Bus Lines, an Intercity Coach might go on strike in early, middle, or the end of November. There usually is no, ifs, ands, or buts, there usually is a strike...  Great time to go on strike though, next month is Christmas season, and thousands of university, and college students that use the bus to travel home will be out of luck.
It all started with Acadian Bus Talk Falls Apart - Prince Edward Island, this was released on CBC News on November first, and says there would be a strike starting November first. The management walked out before wages were even discussed. There is all disagreement on the bus drivers scheduled shifts but these are set by rules already made up. The negotiations where shut down a day early.
Today November 24th this: Acadian Lines Workers Give Strike Notice - New Brunswick was released on CBC News. There was negotiations this morning to try, and prevent a walk out. Orleans workers in Quebec received a raise as well as Acadian Nova Scotia workers. New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island workers did not. Most of the Acadian Routes in New Brunswick, are unprofitable. This is because there are a lot of stops at smaller towns, and there are not a lot of customers in those towns that there are stops at.
In my opnion there should be stops at these locations in New Brunswick: Sackville, Moncton, Fredericton, St. John, Miramichi, Campbellton, Edmundston, and St. Stephens.
They are officially not operating as of Friday, December 2nd.
My general opinion on strikes is not a good one. While yes the workers want a raise this is quite the immature way to go about it. It speaks to me as "We want more money, and until something is done about it we shall not work for." It was the same when the teachers went on strike about six years ago, and when my Father's workplace went on strike around ten years ago. Though sometimes there are others that actually want to work, and still get paid depending on the situation that is not a possibility. I use the Acadian Intercity Coaches to travel, and I have received horrible service in the past two years, and this has made me dislike them further