KELOWNA, B.C. – The company that operates buses in the Central Okanagan, First Canada, is claiming a win after the B.C. Labour Relations Board ruled against union pickets at the Vernon transit yard.
“First Canada respects all of its employees and their right to take job action as part of collective bargaining. We are, however, relieved the illegal picket activity at our Vernon transit yard will cease and desist,” said John Peck, Regional Vice President of First Canada Farwest region, in a press release.
But Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1722 representative Scott Lovell denies his members were picketing at all, telling Global News union members were only handing out information leaflets near the Vernon location Nov. 15.
The ATU representative said the Vernon workplace was not disrupted and all Vernon transit employees, members of Unifor, went to work as usual.
Lovell said the issue this week at the Labour Board cost both sides considerable money to litigate while distracting from resolving core issues that have kept buses stalled in the Kelowna area since Nov. 10.
“They are truly mean, mean spirited,” said Lovell Friday night.
Lovell said the company has stopped income to members on disability leave during the strike, cut off all member medical benefits and refuse to pay any banked time owed to bus drivers on strike.
“They continue to find ways to attack the body of the union,” said Lovell.
First Canada employs nearly 1000 people in 24 B.C. communities and is contracted by B.C. Transit to run buses in the Central Okanagan.
At issues is differential pay that would give incremental pay to bus drivers that operate larger transit vehicles.
Thousands of transit riders are making their way around town by taxi, bicycle and car-pooling.
Despite both sides saying they are willing to return to bargaining, no new talks are scheduled between the two sides.
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