National

Metro Vancouver residents scramble for another ride as bus strike drags into Day 2

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 23 Jan, 2024 10:43 AM

Hundreds of thousands of Metro Vancouver residents are without a bus ride again today as striking transit supervisors carry on with their 48-hour strike.

There is no bus and SeaBus services due to ongoing job action at CMBC by CUPE 4500. SkyTrain (Expo, Canada Line, Millennium Line), WCE and HandyDART service not expected to be impacted. Visit https://t.co/Viw4DNrYh1 or call 604-953-3333 ^CK pic.twitter.com/IHJEfDB2rV
— TransLink BC (@TransLink) January 23, 2024

The dispute between more than 180 members of CUPE Local 4500 and Coast Mountain Bus Company has stopped 96 per cent of the region's buses as well as the SeaBus across Burrard Inlet.

B.C. Labour Minister Harry Bains says his ministry is considering appointing a special mediator in the dispute, although he also urged both sides to start talking again.

Union spokesman Liam O'Neill says members aren't happy about taking the action and they tried to pressure the employer without affecting the public but Coast Mountain is unwilling to deal with a wage discrepancy and is trying to bully the union.

Coast Mountain president Michael McDaniel says the union won't adjust its demand for wage increases and the company has offered more overtime pay and improved benefits and committed to hiring more supervisors.

The strike is expected to end in time for the morning commute Wednesday, although O'Neill says action will escalate if Coast Mountain doesn't come back to the table with a better offer.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Joly condemns Hamas rapes of Israeli women after weeks of pressure

In Israel, women's organizations have been calling on the international community to speak out, and the government has recently criticized foreign governments for not doing so. Yet police in Israel are still investigating what happened two months ago, after officials prioritized identifying bodies instead of preserving evidence, according to The Associated Press.

Joly condemns Hamas rapes of Israeli women after weeks of pressure

Financial intelligence agency levies $1.3 million penalty against CIBC

Canada's financial intelligence agency says it has levied a $1.3-million penalty against CIBC for non-compliance with money laundering and terrorist financing measures. The penalty is the second the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada has announced this week after RBC's $7.4-million fine was publicized on Tuesday.

Financial intelligence agency levies $1.3 million penalty against CIBC

Cyberactivity targeting elections on rise, says report from Canada's e-spy service

A new federal report says cyberthreat activity targeting elections is increasing worldwide, and is now more likely to be seen in Canada's next federal ballot. The report by the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security found that in 2022 slightly over one-quarter of all national elections globally had at least one reported cyberincident.

Cyberactivity targeting elections on rise, says report from Canada's e-spy service

Oil and gas emissions cap coming Thursday, targets 2026 start date

The long-promised cap on greenhouse gas emissions for Canada's oil and gas sector will begin as early as 2026 and use a cap-and-trade system that applies by facility, a federal government source said Wednesday. The outline for the policy that the government is set to publish Thursday will show that industry will not be asked to cut emissions as deeply as planned under last year's emissions reduction report, said the source.

Oil and gas emissions cap coming Thursday, targets 2026 start date

Number of Canadians with disabilities doubles in 10 years, hits 8 million: StatCan

The number of Canadians with at least one disability has doubled in 10 years, a reality that should push governments to help reduce barriers to accessibility, says the head of a human rights organization. Statistics Canada data shows that 27 per cent of people 15 and older — about eight million Canadians — reported having at least one disability in 2022, about twice the percentage of people who reported a disability 10 years ago.

Number of Canadians with disabilities doubles in 10 years, hits 8 million: StatCan

Political shift underway in B.C., says confident Conservative Leader John Rustad

B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad says Premier David Eby and Opposition BC United Leader Kevin Falcon are both looking over their shoulders at the political gains being made by the new kid on the block. Rustad says the presence of his two-member Conservative caucus has stirred debate and changed dialogue at the legislature and the party appears to be gaining momentum with voters as British Columbia's scheduled fall election approaches.