Metro Van bus union warns of full-service shutdown without deal

The union which represents Lower Mainland transit supervisors says it will be “withdrawing all services” beginning Monday morning if an agreement with Coast Mountain Bus company is not made. 

That would “effectively [shut] down all bus services,” CUPE 4500 said in a statement Thursday.

The union says it has been waiting over four weeks for Coast Mountain to respond to its latest proposal, saying, “Our patience for Coast Mountain to take bargaining and our issues seriously has been exhausted.”

“Our members deserve a fair deal,” CUPE spokesperson Liam O’Neill said in a statement.

According to the union, unless an agreement is reached, all services will be suspended — including on SeaBus — beginning at 3 a.m. Jan. 22, for a two-day withdrawal.

“We regret the disruptions passengers will be experiencing, but we are out of options,” said O’Neill. “Unless Coast Mountain commits to ensure transit supervisors get the same wages as others doing similar work, and take our workload issues seriously, we are left with no choice.”

In a statement, President and General Manager Michael McDaniel with Coast Mountain Bus Company says it’s “disappointing” that the union is threatening a strike.

“CMBC has made CUPE 4500 the same wage offer already agreed to by all other CMBC unions,” McDaniel wrote.

“The union has demanded 25 per cent wage increases for Transit Supervisors over three years. Simply put, it is unreasonable for this group of supervisors to demand nearly double the increase that all other CMBC unions have accepted.”

The company adds any service impacts due to job action will be communicated to customers as soon as possible.

The move comes after the union began an overtime ban on Jan. 6.