Metro Vancouver transit strike continues for 2nd day
Posted January 23, 2024 7:24 am.
Last Updated January 23, 2024 1:24 pm.
Tens of thousands of commuters are being forced to find other ways to get around Metro Vancouver Tuesday as the region’s buses remain idle off the road and the SeaBuses stay docked.
Listen to CityNews 1130 LIVE now!A planned 48-hour strike involving 180 unionized transit supervisors at Coast Mountain Bus Company is now in its second day, with more passengers expressing frustration and anger at the loss of bus service — some feeling caught in the middle.
“We have to get the crap end of the stick,” one man on Broadway in Vancouver, who considers bus service essential, told CityNews.
“It’s my lifeline for me and my family. My partner and my kids, we have to take the bus to the food bank all the time. There are families that rely on the buses — we are one of them. Even if I had a car, gas is so expensive, we can’t afford it.”
Others worry strike action will escalate.
“It’s really inconvenient. It’s my first day at a new job, so it really sucks man,” said another commuter, forced to find alternatives.
“I hate when this happens. I’ve been in Vancouver for a while now and I’ve gone through a couple of these. It’s so inconvenient for everybody and it just makes it so hard to get anywhere. I hope they can reach an agreement soon.”
The current strike action is targeting Metro Vancouver’s bus and SeaBus service. Skytrain, Canada Line, HandyDART, and West Coast Express service have not been affected.
The food and beverage industry is also pushing the two sides in the dispute to get back to the bargaining table.
The CEO of BC Food and Beverage says about 40,000 employees in the sector rely heavily on public transportation to get to and from work every day.
James Donaldson explains the threat of a complete transit shutdown puts the industry at risk by “depriving workers of access to transit to and from work.”
CUPE Local 4500 and Coast Mountain Bus Company have not returned to negotiations since mediated talks ended Sunday night.
The provincial government has said it is prepared to appoint a special mediator in the dispute, who would have more tools to help break an impasse over pay.
Meanwhile, the union has indicated it is prepared to further escalate job action.
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