Vancouver school bus drivers, attendants face pay cut as board stops being a living wage employer

CBC News

· Posted: Apr 14, 2025 1:17 PM EDT | Last Updated: 3 minutes ago

About 200 autobus drivers and attendants contracted by the Vancouver School Board (VSB) person been told their wages volition beryllium chopped arsenic the VSB volition halt being a surviving wage employer.

VSB became a surviving wage leader successful 2022, topping up workers' pay, including contractors, to a surviving wage — which is calculated based connected what 2 full-time moving adults request to gain per hr to conscionable the basal needs of a household of four, including buying food, paying rent, and different bills.

But connected April 4, workers were told successful an email from their leader First Student Inc. that the schoolhouse board's surviving wage supplement had "come to an earlier-than-anticipated close," according to the email viewed by CBC News.

"This is unspeakable quality for those workers, who are among the lowest-paid workers astatine the Vancouver School Board," said Bill Tieleman, spokesperson for the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 963.

The workers whose wages are being reduced are not unionized, according to Tieleman.

"People successful the workplace were crying, arsenic we recognize it, conscionable wondering however they're going to marque ends meet."

Metro Vancouver's surviving wage successful 2024 was $27.05 per hour. Drivers person been told that their wages volition driblet to $23.40 per hour, portion attendants volition person their wages descend to $19.65 per hour.

VSB said the changes volition beryllium successful effect "no sooner than" July 1.

"With important yearly fluctuations successful the Living Wage rate, VSB tin nary longer certify arsenic a Living Wage [B.C.] leader and volition not beryllium providing contractors with supplemental backing to supply their employees with wages that align with Living Wage [B.C.'s] hourly rate," the committee said successful a connection to CBC News.

'Incredibly disappointed'

Advocacy enactment Living Wage B.C. said it's "incredibly disappointed" that VSB volition halt being a surviving wage employer.

"At a clip erstwhile each of america request to travel unneurotic to look unprecedented economical threats, it has ne'er been much important that workers gain a Living Wage," said provincial manager Anastasia French successful a statement.

"We impulse the VSB to alteration people and enactment with partners to find a solution which ensures that each of their nonstop and contracted unit tin gain a Living Wage."

VSB said the Public Sector Employers' Council Secretariat sets the mandate for compensation and bargaining for each schoolhouse districts successful the province, and has not mandated districts to supply a surviving wage.

"As the VSB has multi-year corporate agreements successful spot that expire connected June 30, 2025, VSB does not person the quality astatine the section level to summation wages astatine this time," the schoolhouse committee said.