Union Tells Transpo Workers To Dump Uniforms

Refusing to give up your seat on a bus when you’re off duty is now a firing offense for OC drivers? That is beyond ridiculous! Am I surprised? No. Am I disappointed? Yes.

I think a more effective response from the union would be to have every OC driver offer their seat to passengers who might need a seat. They should do this whether they’re on or off duty.

It stands to reason that if you’re actually working and don’t follow the rules, the penalty would be more stringent than for somebody on their way to or from work. So working drivers shouldn’t take the chance of being sanctioned for not yielding their seat, especially since it’s right at the front of the bus. It would make it hard for the buses to stay on schedule if the drivers are constantly giving their seats up as a courtesy.

I wonder how many people are aware that the driver who didn’t give up his seat may be on his way home after a split shift that had him or her working through the morning rush hour with a few hours off and then returning to work through the evening rush hour. Road conditions and construction detours may have complicated the route and he or she may have had to endure abusive language and behaviour from passengers for things out of the drivers control. That seat is well-earned.

I wonder if the bus company has any penalties in mind for other people who don’t offer up their seat or who sit in one seat and put their backpack or skateboard in the seat beside them. That would be a better use of their time than going after their own drivers. And they wonder why they have trouble recruiting and keeping drivers.

Seems like OC Transpo doesn’t know how to treat their drivers or their customers very well.