Three union chapters representing a significant number of transit workers in Metro Vancouver and Greater Victoria have given 72-hour strike notices. Unifor announced that transit operators in Local 111 and skilled-trade workers in Local 2200 will initiate a uniform ban on Monday following the strike notice to the Coast Mountain Bus Company, with no immediate impact on service for riders.
A separate announcement stated that B.C. Transit workers in Victoria, represented by Local 333, will also participate in the uniform ban starting on Monday. This action follows over a year of negotiations for Greater Victoria workers, with members strongly supporting a strike in May. Similarly, negotiations and mediation efforts for Metro Vancouver workers have not led to a resolution.
Unifor’s western regional director, Gavin McGarrigle, explained, “There are various issues, including wages and working conditions, but it is clear that we needed to signal that our concerns have not been adequately addressed at the negotiation table. If our only recourse is job action, we are starting at the lowest level, but we are prepared to escalate if necessary.”
The decision to proceed with the strike notice stemmed from workers feeling that employers have not adequately tackled ongoing concerns regarding wages, privatization, and working conditions such as recovery time between trips. Both TransLink and the Coast Mountain Bus Company have yet to comment on the situation.
B.C. Transit, responsible for Victoria’s transit system, expressed disappointment at the strike notice despite their efforts to reach a resolution. They assured that HandyDART service remains unaffected and reiterated their commitment to negotiations while supporting customers, employees, partners, and the communities they serve. The organization also apologized for any inconvenience caused by the labor dispute.