Metro Vancouver bus union positioned to take job action
Posted January 6, 2024 12:17 pm.
Last Updated January 6, 2024 12:25 pm.
The workers who play a part in keeping Metro Vancouver’s buses running are now in legal strike position as of 8 a.m. Saturday.
One of the unions representing Coast Mountain Bus Company workers issued a 72-hour strike notice Wednesday morning, meaning job action is now possible.
CUPE Local 4500, which represents about 180 supervisors, told CityNews the job action would be in the form of an overtime ban and could affect Coast Mountain operations.
Liam O’Neill, CUPE 4500 national representative, said on Wednesday that by removing overtime the union is hoping to force change in the way its employer addresses staffing issues and excessive workloads.
However, if the impasse at the bargaining table continues, O’Neill warns job action could escalate beyond the overtime ban.
“If the employer refuses to address our key issues, we will have no choice but to progress this to the point where — at some point — we will likely have to reduce services,” he said.
Coast Mountain Bus Company President Michael McDaniel told CityNews the company has offered CUPE 4500 the same general wage increase already agreed to by all other employees, and it’s urging the union to return to the bargaining table with “realistic expectations.”
“We will be closely monitoring the ongoing job action, but do not expect the union’s overtime ban to have significant impacts to the delivery of transit services,” the company said. “Customers can receive real-time information by signing up for Transit Alerts, following the TransLink X (Twitter) account, or by calling Customer Information.”
The last collective agreement between Coast Mountain Bus Company and CUPE 4500 expired at the end of 2022.
The union says it represents Coast Mountain transit supervisors, maintenance supervisors, service supervisors, tire person supervisors, TComm supervisors, field service trainers, engineers, and warranty administrators, as well as supervisors for the parts department, body shop, trolley overhead, and fare box staff.
