Passengers who rely on HandyDART voice concerns over worker strike

Workers at HandyDART have voted to authorize a strike after six months of working without a contract, and passengers who rely on the service are voicing their concerns.

HandyDART services thousands of passengers in the Metro Vancouver area each year, providing door-to-door services for passengers with permanent or temporary disabilities.

Eva Castro has used the service for 24 years and says the thought of a strike is the worst-case scenario.

“One missed appointment…since January, I’ve had seven specialists,” she says. “It is for me critical and for me to know that I’m well taken care of by the doctors.”

The ATU Local 1724 began its job action Wednesday, with members refusing to wear their uniforms. Job action could expand to include fare increases, the union says.

Many HandyDART customers have had to resort to taxi services that are not fully trained to accommodate passengers with disabilities.

Castro, who uses the service upwards of three times a week, says the taxi service does not compare to HandyDART.

“[With HandyDART] you feel safe, you feel secure, and you’re guaranteed to make your appointment on time,” she said.

Joe McCann, union president, says wages for his workers are not on par with other transit workers in Vancouver.

“We’ve come to an impasse when it came to wages. The disparity is quite large,” he said. “We live in an expensive city, and our drivers are trying to make ends meet.”

The union says it does not plan to escalate job action to a full work stoppage. However, it does have a rally scheduled July 10 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. outside of the TransLink office in New Westminster, to continue advocating for higher wages.