West Vancouver Blue Bus overtime ban set to begin Saturday

Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 134, which represents the workers says the vote for strike action, held on Wednesday, was overwhelmingly in favour.

Cornel Neagu, president of ATU Local 134, says West Vancouver has refused to negotiate with the union and workers were “fed up.”

118 voted yes for strike action, while a single individual voted no, with 81 per cent of the membership turning out to vote.

The union says they will prepare for further action in the near future.

“We drive the same buses, do the same difficult job, and need the same pay and the same breaks from safely driving our valued West Vancouver and North Shore riders,” Neagu said.

“We are not asking for anything more than what all other Metro Vancouver transit operators currently receive under their Coast Mountain Bus Company contract. Why is West Vancouver penalizing Blue Bus drivers?”

In response, the District of West Vancouver released a statement, saying their offers to the union have been honest.

“The District has offered a fair deal, including significant wage increases in line with Coast Mountain Bus Company’s recent agreement, and measures to address the working condition concerns identified by the union,” said a statement.

The city also contested the union’s version of events, saying the union’s claims the district ended negotiations were unfounded, and said “the union requested a mediator, and it was the union which chose to end bargaining on June 15.”

They add that regular bus service will continue but the overtime ban will affect the number of buses available.

The Blue Bus system has 64 buses which carries about 18,000 passengers per day.