City of Fredericton to privatize transport service for people with disabilities

The City of Fredericton informed the Canadian Union of Public Employees this week that its Para-Transit service will be changing from public to private management.

The change is part of the city’s new operating budget. If the city council votes to approve it at an upcoming meeting, starting in January 2024 the service will no longer use CUPE members to drive Para-Transit buses, a public service for residents with disabilities within Fredericton city limits.

CUPE Local 1783 represents more than 45 municipal transit workers in Fredericton, including two full-time CUPE members who currently staff Para-Transit.

The two CUPE bus drivers will keep their jobs and be redeployed within the public municipal transit system. The collective agreement allows management to contract out services as long as no layoffs occur.

Many details about the city’s move remain unknown, including the company’s name. The city told CUPE the company is based in Western Canada and would use its own workers.

The NB Media Co-op has reached out to the City of Fredericton for details.

CUPE believes it’s unlikely the drivers hired to replace its members will be unionized.

Fredericton-based CUPE National Servicing Representative Ralph McBride speculated that the new company will “subcontract that service here and hire off the street. The workers will belong to the private company, and probably with no union representation, they’ll just be like, I guess, Walmart workers or McDonald’s workers.”

CUPE 1783 president Todd English is disappointed the city made the decision without union input.

“They did not even discuss this with the workers until it was a done deal, and they were doing this during our bargaining negotiations, without bringing it to our attention,” said English.

The union also learned the company has been wanting to break into the Atlantic market for some time.

McBride said: “What should concern taxpayers is that the City contracted out all the way to Western Canada. In my opinion, once the contract is signed, the City loses control over the service. Contracting out means residents have little to no say in operational hours, rate setting, or fees. These companies don’t take on these contracts without aiming for profit, and as long as they adhere to the terms of the agreement, the City will have no say.”

CUPE Local 1783 is urging all Fredericton residents to reach out to their local council representatives and request an immediate reversal of this decision.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) is the largest union in New Brunswick and in Canada.

Susan O’Donnell writes for the NB Media Co-op.

This story was revised shortly after publication to clarify that the change to a private service is included in the new operating budget which has not yet been approved by council.