Negotiations are underway between the union representing transit supervisors and its employer, Coast Mountain Bus Company and TransLink.
The talks are taking place just before a BC Labour Board Relations hearing, scheduled for noon. The union, CUPE 4500, requested the hearing to see if it can expand picket lines to include SkyTrain stations and facilities.
Special mediator Vince Ready has been involved in the talks to end the dispute. If no deal is reached, CUPE 4500 previously said it will halt bus, West Coast Express and SeaBus services at 12:01 a.m. on Feb. 3 for 72 hours. If the hearing allows the union to include SkyTrain facilities, those services could be halted as well.
The union has claimed that it believes it should be able to picket the entire transit system as it all falls under the umbrella of TransLink.
TransLink, Coast Mountain Bus Company, West Coast Express and representatives with SkyTrain have all applied to the labour board to declare these transit services as essential. Those parties are asking that there be no picketing of services until the essential order application is addressed.
CUPE 4500 argues because TransLink informed customers of the job action it lessened the impact of the strike.
CUPE 7000 represents rapid transit and rail workers, which includes SkyTrain workers. It previously said its members would not cross any picket lines if they are at SkyTrain facilities and stations.
During the 48-hour job action last week, tens of thousands of Metro Vancouver commuters were left scrambling to find alternative means of travel.
CUPE 4500 members have been on strike since Jan. 6, when they began a ban on overtime work.
Coast Mountain Bus Company previously said the union is demanding a 25 per cent pay raise and stated that’s unreasonable, while the union has said Coast Mountain has tried to bully it in the negotiations.
Friday at midnight is the deadline for the two parties to agree on a new contract.
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