Unionized HandyDART workers reject new employer contract, plan full strike

Unionized HandyDART workers have rejected the latest contract offer from their employer after months of bargaining, and the union says it is planning a full strike.

In a release Tuesday, Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1724, the union representing HandyDART says it is now “weighing options” to secure a “fair deal.”

“This vote sends a powerful message to Transdev and Translink that they must do better if they expect us to ratify a contract,” said Local 1724 President/Business Agent Joe McCann, in the release.

It says the new offer did not address the issues that are key to the “worker’s well-being and their integrity.”

“We stand united in our pursuit of fair wages, improved benefits, and better working conditions,” the release said.

McCann tells 1130 NewsRadio that the union plans to move onto a full strike after filing a 72-hour notice with the Labour Board after more than 87 per cent of unionized workers voted against the deal.

“We’d like to get parity with the Fraser Valley in wages for our drivers in Vancouver,” he said. “It is not cheap to live in Vancouver, and it’s hard for our drivers.”

ATU Local 1724 has been in negotiations with Transdev since November 2023. In June 2024, 95 per cent of HandyDART workers voted to authorize strike action. Then on July 3, HandyDART workers initiated partial work withdrawals to ramp up job actions.

“These have included: refusals to wear uniforms; collect fares; work overtime; fill out certain kinds of paperwork; and doing work off the clock,” the release explained.

The main issues under discussion are staffing shortages and poor compensation compared to other transit jobs in the region.

“Worker shortages have been a major factor in the skyrocketing use of taxis at HandyDART, and riders have complained that taxi drivers do not have the same training nor provide the same door-to-door service,” the release says.

While a timeline for when a strike may begin is unclear, McCann assures that disruptions will not affect essential services, including those seeking dialysis, cancer, and MS treatments.

Statistics from 2023 show HandyDART has more than 30,000 registered clients who took more than 1.1 million trips last year.

1130 NewsRadio has reached out to Transdev and Translink for comment.

-With files from Anthony Atanasov and Dean Recksiedler.