Transit strike could affect Fraser Valley, Island if Labour Board allows

An escalation of transit job action could affect services in the Fraser Valley and Vancouver Island, if the Labour Relations Board allows.

CityNews has learned the union representing some transit supervisors is seeking permission from the BC Labour Relations Board to expand picketing locations to BC Transit sites in the Valley and Victoria.

CUPE 4500 wouldn’t say whether that would affect bus service in those areas. However, a memo viewed by CityNews from CUPE 561 to its members says if the Labour Relations Board allows CUPE 4500’s request and if new strike action begins, its members will be affected.

“CUPE 561 members are protected for respecting a legal picket line, and members that participate in picket line duties will receive strike pay from CUPE,” the union, which represents First Transit unionized workers, said in the note.

CUPE 4500 was already in hearings with the Labour Relations Board, seeking permission to picket outside SkyTrain stations and other TransLink facilities.

This comes as Friday marked another day of talks between the union and Coast Mountain Bus Company, with special mediator Vince Ready.

CUPE 4500, which represents about 180 CMBC supervisors, warned earlier this week that if a tentative agreement wasn’t reached by 12:01 a.m. Feb. 3, members would be “withdrawing services for 72-hours.”

If the Labour Relations Board permits, CUPE 4500 says its strike escalation will “effectively shut down all buses, the SeaBus, and all SkyTrain lines for three days.”

Wages remain a key topic of contention between both sides. CUPE 4500 has argued its members “do the same work as other supervisors in TransLink, and yet, they’re paid less.”

If a deal isn’t reached by Tuesday, Jan. 30, Ready has been told to issue non-binding recommendations on Feb. 2, after which the union and employer will have five days to either accept or reject those proposals.