A Metro Vancouver transit strike appeared increasingly likely Thursday afternoon, as talks broke off between the union representing 5,000 bus drivers and SeaBus and maintenance workers and their employer.
Unifor locals 111 and 2200 say they left the bargaining table Thursday because the Coast Mountain Bus Company (CMBC) did not change its offer on wages or working conditions.
“Which means that still, to to this day, no transit operator is guaranteed a minimum level of break time on any given shift,” said Unifor western director Gavin McGarrigle.
“Those conditions are unacceptable to our members. The company sent a very strong message today, they said basically unless we’re willing to accept their offer, don’t even really bother counter-offering.”
But CMBC president Michael McDaniel said the employer had made “fair and reasonable offers” to the union “greater than most other public sector settlements in B.C.”
McDaniels said maintenance trades workers were being offered a 12 per cent wage increase over four years, while transit operators were offered 10 per cent over four years. Both work out to more than the 2 per cent annual increase other public sector unions have been offered under the NDP.
Speaking to reporters after talks broke down, McDaniel said even the limited job action being proposed would affect commuters.
“We will do our best to communicate all of those service disruptions through our many communication channels. Let me be clear: job action benefits no one,” he said.
“Today the message is clear: return to the negotiating table so we can negotiate a reasonable deal.”
Unifor issued a 72-hour strike notice and is in a legal position to begin job action at midnight.
The union has been without a contract since the end of March, and say their workers are increasingly stretched amid surging ridership on the Metro Vancouver transit system.
However, the union says if it can’t reach a deal by the Thursday deadline, operators won’t walk off the job immediately.
Instead, transit operators will begin by working out of uniform, and maintenance workers will refuse to work overtime, starting at 8 a.m. Friday.
“Our No. 1 goal is a fair contract that ensures our members are working under safe and reasonable conditions so they can best serve the public,” said Unifor national president Jerry Dias in a statement.
“To minimize the disruption to the public while still ramping up pressure on the employer, we have chosen a measured level of strike action in the first phase.”
The union said it believes the first-stage action will raise public awareness of its position.
“It is a strange experience to see an operator out of uniform, and we hope that starts conversations with the passengers about our struggle with this employer to get a fair deal,” said Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor western regional director.
The union said the overtime ban will also have a gradual, cumulative effect on the system as maintenance work builds up, potentially taking buses off the road or disrupting SeaBus service.
TransLink is advising passengers to watch its website and Twitter feed for information on possible disruptions.
If a strike were to occur, it would not affect the West Vancouver Blue Bus system, which is operated by a different company.
It would also not affect SkyTrain, Canada Line, HandyDART or contracted shuttle services in Langley or on Bowen Island.
The Metro Vancouver Transit Police said they would also increase staff to deal with any crowding at SkyTrain stations.
If workers do go on strike, it will be the first time since a four-month transit strike in 2001.
-With files from Janet Brown