“This is not the time to be bargaining for significantly more than what everyone else got.”
That was the message from the CEO of TransLink, Kevin Quinn, at a press conference on Monday afternoon.
He said the transit supervisor strike, expected to continue until 3 a.m. Wednesday, has disrupted the lives of thousands of people in Metro Vancouver as buses and the SeaBus halt service.
The union representing TransLink’s bus supervisors, employed by the Coast Mountain Bus Company and part of CUPE 4500, continues to demand far higher wage increases than their colleagues, Quinn said, calling it disappointing and frustrating.
He said he would like to see both sides go back to the bargaining table. However, TransLink does not anticipate any service disruptions or stoppages on the SkyTrain, Canada Line, West Coast Express and other bus services during the strike.
The Labour Board decided not to hold a hearing regarding CUPE 4500’s application to picket TransLink, BC Rapid Transit Company, West Coast Express and Protrans, operator of the Canada Line, which would stop all service on those transit systems.
Quinn said CUPE 4500 is asking for a supervisor wage increase which is not realistic at this time. He said a 14-per cent wage increase over three years has been accepted by everyone else.
“Now is not the time,” he said. “Here at TransLink, we are facing a fiscal crisis.”
Quinn added that TransLink is expecting a $4.6-billion deficit over the next 10 years.
Speaking at a 2 p.m. press conference, CUPE 4500 spokesperson Liam O’Neill said the union has put in a “solid effort” to negotiate with Coast Mountain Bus but the company has tried to “bully them” into accepting its proposals.
O’Neill said the union provided compromise and solutions to avoid a strike but none could be reached to avoid the transit bus and SeaBus shutdown.
He said rectifying the long-running wage discrepancy between transit supervisors with Coast Mountain Bus and other supervisors in the transit system would only cost the company 0.05 per cent of its annual budget, but the employer is still refusing to close the gap.
In a statement, Coast Mountain Bus Company President, Michael McDaniel says the company met with a mediator over the weekend in an effort to reach a deal.
“CMBC offered increased overtime pay, improved benefits, and committed to hiring more supervisors.”
“Unfortunately, the union again refused the improved offer. This is unacceptable and unreasonable.”
A 48-hour transit strike for all Coast Mountain buses and the SeaBus began at 3 a.m. Monday after the two sides failed to reach an agreement.
“With the help of our mediator, CUPE 4500 put in an honest effort to find some common ground with Coast Mountain. But we are still not near where we need to be in addressing our key issues,” the union said in a statement.
Starting Monday morning, picket lines went up at CMBC transit centres in Vancouver, Surrey, Richmond, Burnaby, Port Coquitlam, and the SeaBus North Vancouver Terminal.
More to come…