Work conditions at heart of labour dispute
Workers at Coast Mountain Bus Co. issue notice, may be off job on Friday
Workers at Coast Mountain Bus Co., which provides bus service throughout most of Metro Vancouver and operates the SeaBus, gave 72-hour strike notice on Monday.
That means if the union representing those employees, Unifor Local 111 and Local 2200, and the employer can’t negotiate a contract by midnight on Thursday, bus and community shuttle drivers, maintenance workers and SeaBus workers could be on strike by Friday. Bargaining sessions are scheduled to continue this week.
The last full-scale transit strike in Metro Vancouver was in 2001 and lasted four months. In 2016, West Vancouver Blue Bus operators staged a one-day work stoppage.
1. What are the issues?
Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor’s western regional director and lead negotiator, said the union’s contract, which expired on March 31, is a complex one that covers 5,000 people, but the main issues are working conditions for transit operators, wages and benefits.
On the topic of working conditions, having adequate time for breaks on every run is top of mind. Tight schedules, crowded buses and heavy traffic mean there are fewer opportunities for drivers to take bathroom breaks, grab a bite to eat, and regroup.
“The lighting rod is definitely the working conditions, because the drivers are saying enough is enough,” McGarrigle said.
The union also wants wages to be competitive with other jurisdictions, such as Toronto, and for maintenance mechanics who are working under TransLink to be paid equitably. For example, Coast Mountain mechanics are paid less than SkyTrain mechanics.
“They’re both skilled trades and they’re both working for TransLink, and we can’t understand why there should be any gap at all,” said McGarrigle.
B.C. Labour Minister Harry Bains said on Tuesday he has no plans to interfere in the bargaining process and hopes the two sides can come to an agreement.
“That’s why it’s so important that they should actually get back to the bargaining table — that’s where the issues will be resolved. This issue will be resolved, and I’m hoping it will be resolved without any disruption,” Bains said
2. What services would be affected in the event of a strike?
Bus and community shuttle drivers, maintenance workers and SeaBus workers would take job action, so bus and SeaBus service could be affected. There is also a chance that other unionized transit workers might act in solidarity.
“With regards to the ongoing labour dispute involving members of Unifor at Coast Mountain Bus Company, we will respect the job actions of Unifor’s members in the event any are taken. We continue to monitor the situation and will respond accordingly as necessary,” Movement of United Professionals (MoveUP) president David Black said in an emailed statement. MoveUP Local 378 represents office workers at TransLink and Coast Mountain.
3. What would job action look like?
According to McGarrigle, various kinds of work stoppages are on the table. “There’s a whole range of things we could do, and it’s really just what will get the message across without affecting the public unduly,” he said.
Although he would not provide specifics, McGarrigle said job action could include things such as an overtime ban, stopping service in specific areas, cancelling routes, and working to rule. This could cause delays, affect bus frequency, result in fewer buses on the road, and leave some people without bus service completely for a period of time.
McGarrigle said the union’s leadership is still discussing what kind of action to take. If bargaining fails and a strike goes ahead on Friday, details will be available by Thursday evening.
TransLink was unable to provide an update on Tuesday about how it is preparing for a possible strike, and referred to a prepared statement that Coast Mountain Bus Co. released Monday.
“At this time, the unions have not informed CMBC what form the job action would take,” the company said. “CMBC remains committed to reaching an acceptable negotiated settlement and is ready to return to the bargaining table as soon as possible.”
4. Who would be impacted? Buses are the most widely used transit service in the region, with an average of 20 million boardings per month, or 262 million boardings last year. Almost two-thirds of all transit journeys are by bus, and almost three-quarters of transit journeys include a bus connection. Bus ridership grew by eight per cent last year, part of an upward trend that has lasted years.
5. Who else is bargaining in Metro Vancouver transit?
Four other transit-related contracts are in the process of being negotiated.
Naresh Sachithanandan, president of Amalgamated Transit
Union 134, said 155 West Vancouver Blue Bus shuttle and bus drivers, mechanics and service workers have been working without a contract since March 31. Bargaining, which will take place with the District of West Vancouver, is scheduled to begin in mid-November.
The contract for Coast Mountain’s operational, scheduling and administrative workers, represented by MoveUp Local 378, expired on March 31. The bargaining committee is scheduled to meet with Coast Mountain this week.
MoveUP Local 378 also represents TransLink office workers, including clerks, assistants, administrators, co-ordinators, technicians and analysts, whose contract expired on March 31. The union is in the process of preparing proposals to begin bargaining with TransLink.
Operations, maintenance and administrative workers at the B.C. Rapid Transit Co., which operates SkyTrain, have been working without a contract since Aug. 31. Bargaining is underway.