First Student Bus confirms lockout of Windsor school bus drivers

WINDSOR, ON, Sept. 9, 2025 /CNW/ - First Student Canada has served Unifor with formal notice that they will lock out members next Monday, Sept. 15 at 12:01 a.m.

"We will not be intimidated by this company's bullying tactics," said Unifor National President Lana Payne. 

First Student Bus confirms lockout of Windsor school bus drivers. (CNW Group/Unifor)

"Our members will not accept an offer that underpays and undermines them."

In its letter, the company also made it clear that benefits for the drivers will be suspended at the same time. The outstanding issue is drivers' wages.

Unifor members from Local 195 voted 98% in favour of a strike mandate on Aug. 20. The local represents 140 First Student Bus drivers in Windsor.

First Student Bus – which transports about 7,000 students to school each day – walked away from negotiations last month.

The union and employer met on Aug. 7 and 8, 2025, and on the last day of bargaining, First Student told the bargaining committee that if it didn't accept its offer, it could go on strike. From that point, the company has repeatedly told Unifor members that it planned to lock them out on Sept. 15 unless both sides could reach a deal by that date.

"Our members care about the Windsor communities and don't want to impact parents, teachers and students," said Unifor Ontario Regional Director Samia Hashi.

"Unifor continues to be ready and available to reach a fair collective agreement, but let's be clear – it was First Student who made threats of a lockout and not us. They seem to think it's perfectly reasonable to put schools and communities in a hostage position."

The bus drivers in this unit drive for the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board, Greater Essex County District School Board, and Conseil Scolaire Catholique Providence.

Unifor represents 20,000 members across the road transportation sector, with over 2,000 school bus drivers.

Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector, representing 320,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad, and strives to create progressive change for a better future. 

SOURCE Unifor

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