Quebec City summer festival worried about looming bus strike

A possible strike by Quebec City bus drivers is worrying organizers of the Festival d'été de Québec, one of the city's biggest summer events. 

Thousands use Quebec City's public transit system to go to the festival, which runs from July 6-16, and organizers say the strike would be a fatal blow. 

"It's going to be a difficult situation," said Nicolas Racine, the president and CEO of BLEUFEU, the organization that runs the festival.

But with about 900 bus drivers left without a contract for a year, tensions are running high. Drivers of the Réseau de transport de la Capitale (RTC) say their employer is taking too long to find a solution. 

Negotiations between RTC drivers and their employers are underway, and if the two parties can't reach an agreement by the end of the week, drivers could go on strike as of Saturday until July 16.

Quebec's labour tribunal previously ruled that the RTC is not considered an essential service, so drivers do not have to stay on the road if they decide to strike.

"We obviously hope that the parties find an agreement and that our festival-goers do not have to suffer any impact. Public transit is part of an experience that is enjoyable for festival-goers," said Racine. 

RTC president Maude Mercier Larouche would like more intervention on behalf of the provincial government in the short-term.

But union member Hélène Fortin says if the RTC doesn't step on the gas pedal, it will their fault the population has no services as of Saturday.