August 2009.Unionized driver examiners across Ontario are on strike, putting thousands of license applications in limbo.

United Steelworkers Local 9511, which represents about 550 workers at 56 DriveTest locations, said contract talks with employer Serco DES Inc. broke down late Friday afternoon.

"We're really, really disappointed," Steelworkers director Wayne Fraser said after 3 1/2 straight days of negotiations.

The unionized employees had originally planned to walk off the job if a tentative deal had not been reached by 2 a.m. Friday. But the union decided instead to ask workers to report for work as usual Friday morning so negotiations could continue for a few more hours to resolve issues concerning wages, overtime and sick days, According to the union, one of the main issues is job security, as many employees work long hours in the summer and then are laid off in the winter. while remaining on "strike notice."

Fraser said union members at up to eight DriveTest centres in the Greater Toronto Area set up picket lines early, citing their frustration with the labour negotiations. He said Friday evening that the rest of the union members now have walked out.

DriveTest said all driver examination centres are now closed until further notice. The Ontario government will take steps to extend the validity of licences that require a retest for renewal. This includes licences for novice drivers, commercial drivers and drivers aged 80 years and older. DriveTest said those renewals will be done automatically.

Tom Wainwright, an instructor with Young Drivers of Canada, said tests typically need to be booked four to six weeks in advance and DriveTest conducts 3,000 examinations a week in Ontario, meaning the strike could affect a lot of people.

"That's going to be a heck of an inconvenience," Wainwright said.

On the other hand, Many citizens have complaints about of the testing process and online reservations which include

The website frequently crashes when new blocks of examination times are added.

The site rejects valid credit cards.

The DriveTest call centre is extremely hard to reach and, once connected, instructors say it can take up to two hours to speak with an operator.

Instructors say they have successfully booked road tests, arrived at the location, and are told by DriveTest staff that there is no record of the booking. As an Arbitrator :

Explain where lies the main problem and Possible Causes of those issues.