Metro Vancouver HandyDART strike could last a week — at the very least
Posted August 30, 2024 7:01 pm.
Unionized HandyDART drivers are set to walk off the job across Metro Vancouver Tuesday, and it may be some time before they’re back on the road.
In a statement sent to 1130 NewsRadio Friday, Transdev says both “parties have currently secured a date to bargain on September 12th.”
Transdev — the company contracted by TransLink to operate HandyDART services — adds that it’s “in discussion” about potentially bringing in a mediator between now and then.
However, the union representing drivers says it’s ready to negotiate without delay
“We said we are ready to bargain any time, any place, they said ‘September 12th,'” Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1724 President Joe McCann told 1130 NewsRadio on Friday.
McCann also says there has been “no indication” from the employer about talks resuming before the expected strike date.
Earlier this week, the union issued 72-hour strike notice after the majority of workers rejected Transdev’s “final offer.” The two sides had been at the bargaining table for nine months, according to the transit company.
If the strike goes ahead Tuesday, it will be the first since 2009 for Metro Vancouver HandyDART drivers. That walkout, which was under a different employer, lasted nearly three months.
Transdev has assured that any disruptions will not affect those seeking transportation to essential services, such as dialysis, cancer, and MS treatments.
