Metro Vancouver transit operators are voting today on whether to go on strike after collective bargaining talks broke down with Coast Mountain Bus Company.
About 4,700 transit operators, skilled trades, SeaBus and support workers represented by Unifor Locals 111 and 2200 will vote over what the union calls unfair concession demands from the company.
The vote closes at 10 p.m., and results are expected by 11:30 p.m., according to Unifor spokesman Ian Boyko.
Unifor Local 111 president Nathan Woods said last week that Coast Mountain Bus Company — a TransLink subsidiary — has refused to table what it calls a fair wage offer in bargaining that started February 17 and broke off April 6.
Unifor Local 2200 president Joe Elworthy, representing mechanics, SeaBus, maintenance and other workers, said that “to ask them to accept a load of concessions is just not on.”
If the workers vote to walk off the job, Metro Vancouver residents who rely on the bus or SeaBus will be most affected by the labour dispute. The SkyTrain will continue to operate.
Coast Mountain Bus Company declined a request for an interview and instead emailed a brief statement.
“Over the past several weeks, the company and Unifor Locals 111 and 2200 have been working hard to renew our collective agreement. We remain committed to an acceptable negotiated settlement and as such, to protect the integrity of the process, we will not be negotiating through media,” the company said Thursday.
ticrawford@postmedia.com
With a file from Brian Morton
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