West Vancouverites could find themselves in in the middle of a full-blown transit strike next week, coinciding with students’ return to school.
Amalgamated Transit Union 134, which represents West Vancouver Blue Bus drivers and mechanics, said Tuesday it was preparing to escalate job action “significantly” on Sept. 7 amid stalled contract talks with the district.
“We are being entirely reasonable with our positions – it is West Vancouver District that is trying to keep us from achieving working conditions that our sisters and brothers everywhere else have had for many years,” union president Cornel Neagu said in a media release.
“If it takes a strike to win those, it will be on West Vancouver’s elected Mayor and Council to explain why they refused to move with the times.”
The union claims it has made significant concessions, including dropping its demand for bathroom breaks and “other positions,” but that the district has refused to move on other key issues.
The union’s priorities include wage parity with other Metro Vancouver jurisdictions for West Vancouver shuttle bus drivers, a mandatory five-minute break at the end of routes and the end of ‘split shifts’ that give drivers an unpaid gap of up to four hours between the first and second part of their shift.
The union has banned overtime since July 23, a move it says has forced nearly half the buses in the Blue Bus system off the road because of necessary inspections or repairs.
“It shows how desperately we need to retain and hire more mechanics to keep the system operating without massive overtime,” Neagu said.
The District of West Vancouver said as of Friday the union’s overtime ban had led to a 10 -per cent service reduction on weekdays and 13 per cent on weekends.
Spokesperson Donna Powers said the district reached out to the union Tuesday to propose a return to the bargaining table on Sept. 6, with the help of a mediator.
“We are committed to resolving the matter and, hopefully, avoiding further strike action,” she said.
“It is disappointing that the union declined to participate in mediated bargaining in favour of escalating strike action, which will result in a loss of income for Blue Bus employees and inconvenience the travelling public.”
Powers said the district has offered a three-per cent wage hike for all workers, a five-per cent hike for skilled trades, and a schedule aimed at reducing the wage gap with Coat Mountain Bus Company shuttle drivers.
The district has also proposed a letter of understanding which it says will provide scheduled recovery time and that it has has assured the Union that washroom breaks can be taken whenever required, during any shift.
“The Union has agreed that ATU members have not been treated in a punitive manner for using the washroom,” Powers said.
The district said it has also offered to boost overtime logged after 10 hours and to pay for medical exams needed to maintain Class 1 through 4 licences.