Red Pheasant Bus Drivers Strike Linked To INAC

Red Pheasant Bus Drivers Strike Linked To INAC

Monday, September 15, 2008 at 12:40

Some overdue paperwork at Indian Affairs may have been the cause of a recent strike by school bus drivers on the Red Pheasant First Nation.

Drivers walked off the job a few weeks ago due to issues over wages.

Indian Affairs spokesman Trevor Sutter confirms the band was well overdue for a re-assessment of the amount of money needed for school transportation.

He says the department tries to conduct reviews every five years, but says the review for Red Pheasant was overdue by about a year.

Sutter says a recent review by the department helped the band find money to pay the drivers.

In essence, the review determined that the number of children being bussed to school had increased, as well as the distance needed to transport them.

Sutter says the department is glad the issue has been resolved and the drivers are back at work.