Deal reached to end DriveTest strike. All Ontario Driver Examination Centres will be open on January 5, 2010
DriveTest Centres across the province will be open early next month because a deal has been reached between Serco DES (DriveTest) and the union, United Steelworkers Local 9511, representing the workers. The agreement still needs to be ratified by union members.
Should the deal be ratified, DriveTest will open most locations on January 4, 2010, while "travel point" locations in Northern Ontario will open on January 5.
The strike began in late-August and lasted nearly 4 months, creating a backlog of approximately 300,000 tests. To help relieve the backlog, Serco DES plans to hire approximately 100 new employees.
News of the deal has been met with much relief for students across Ontario, as well as anger and frustration from many others wondering why the strike lasted this long, and the provincial Liberal Government did not intervene to end the strike sooner.
