A strike looms on Monday morning if a last-minute deal with unionized transit supervisors isn't reached. Here's the latest
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The union representing transit supervisors at Coast Mountain Bus Company filed an application with the Labour Relations Board of B.C. on Sunday to expand job action that would effectively shut down the SkyTrain, in addition to buses and the SeaBus, starting at 3 a.m. on Monday, Postmedia has learned.
An application filed with the B.C. Labour Relations Board by CUPE Local 4500, which is currently involved in last-minute negotiations with CMBC to avoid a strike, seeks to picket SkyTrain stations and operations and maintenance centres, among others.
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Redirecting riders to other public transit services reduces disruption for riders, the application notes.
“Less disruption for public transit riders means less public pressure on the Employer to settle the contract.”
The union representing SkyTrain workers sent a memo to members on Sunday saying they should not cross any picket lines outside SkyTrain stations or facilities.
“If a picket line is set up at any of our locations, we will not cross and SkyTrain will not run,” said Tony Rebelo, president of CUPE Local 7000, which represents rapid transit and railworkers.
Rebelo called the total shutdown of the SkyTrain on Monday a “reality” but stressed that parties were still at the negotiating table.
“We’re just preparing our members for the worst,” he said.
In a statement published on TransLink’s website, CMBC president Michael McDaniel said the company would make no further comments while negotiations were underway.
Greg Taylor, a spokesperson for Local 4500, said the same.
“The parties have returned to mediation,” he said. “That’s the only comment we can make while they’re in mediation.”
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Other transit unions expressed their support for Local 4500.
ATU Local 134, which represents transit workers in West Vancouver and are not employed by CMBC, announced on Saturday its members would not cross picket lines at the West Vancouver transit depot.
Unifor 111 and 2200, which represents transit operators and support workers, have said they won’t cross picket lines.
Job action by Local 4500 started on Jan. 6 with a ban on overtime. Last Thursday, the union representing transit supervisors announced plans for its 180 members to walk off the job for two days starting Monday at 3 a.m., effectively suspending bus and SeaBus service. Members voted 100 per cent in favour of a strike.
At a news conference Thursday, union spokesman Liam O’Neill said the organization’s members have been waiting for more than four weeks for a response to their latest proposal to CMBC.
“Our patience for Coast Mountain to take bargaining and our issues seriously has been exhausted,” he said. “Our members deserve a fair deal.”
According to figures provided by Coast Mountain, the union is asking for a 25-per-cent increase for transit supervisors, which would bring their annual salary to $115,477 after three years from the current $92,400. The company said it is offering workers a 13.5-per-cent wage hike to $104,886 after three years.
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According to TransLink data, only about 25 per cent of journeys on transit don’t involve a bus, with about 338,000 journeys per day on bus alone, 232,000 journeys per day with a transfer between bus and SkyTrain, and 5,400 journeys per day with a transfer between bus and another mode of transit, such as HANDYDART.
— With file from Glenda Luymes
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2024-01-21 22:39:13Z
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