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Labour board sets hearings for Metro Vancouver bus dispute as service resumes

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 24 Jan, 2024 10:56 AM

The Labour Relations Board has scheduled hearings today and tomorrow in the industrial dispute that paralyzed Metro Vancouver bus services this week.

Bus and SeaBus services resumed this morning after the end of the 48-hour strike by more than 180 transit supervisors represented by Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 4500.

The labour board's website lists hearings for a case between Coast Mountain Bus Company and the union at the board's office in downtown Vancouver.

The union filed a complaint that Coast Mountain tried to reduce the impact of the strike, and if it is upheld CUPE 4500 could be allowed to picket additional sites such as SkyTrain stations.

That would shut down the rail service, according to CUPE Local 7000, which represents SkyTrain workers.

Regional transport operator TransLink says Coast Mountain's services had resumed by around 4 a.m. with the exception of the NightBus service that returns this evening.

CUPE 4500 had said members would be back at work by 3 a.m. and Coast Mountain said it expected services to be running normally before the morning rush hour.

Good morning folks, we are back to all regular services today. Give us a shout for any inquiries, we are here to help you with your commute 😊 ^CK pic.twitter.com/dF42YsFEl2
— TransLink BC (@TransLink) January 24, 2024

Talks between the union and Coast Mountain broke down on Sunday.

The bus company says the union is demanding a 25 per cent pay rise and says that's unreasonable, while the union says Coast Mountain tried to bully it in the negotiations.

B.C.'s Labour Minister Harry Bains said Monday he was considering appointing a special mediator to find a way through the impasse.

The strike by the transit supervisors halted Coast Mountain services because drivers who belong to a different union refused to cross picket lines.

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