Cab company to lock out dispatchers
A Kelowna taxi company intends to lock out its dispatchers on Friday, the union representing the employees says.
Contract talks broke off this week between Kelowna Cabs and MoveUP with the company serving 72-hour lock-out notice.
“MoveUP is calling on Kelowna Cabs to rescind their notice to lockout unionized taxi dispatchers and call takers and to return to the bargaining table rather than turning their back on the community,” the union said in a release.
The union says the company intends to shift the dispatching work overseas.
Workers have been without a collective agreement since the previous one expired in May 2019.
In November 2020, the Labour Relations Board ruled Kelowna Cabs had made “no meaningful effort at all” to bargain with its eight unionized dispatchers. The LRB set aside layoff notices that had been given to the workers and told both sides to keep bargaining.
In its submission to the LRB, Kelowna Cabs argued its business model had been severely impacted by the introduction of ride-hailing services in B.C. and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The company said it needs to transition from a dispatcher-based system to an online app.