The union representing West Vancouver Blue Bus drivers and mechanics is warning of escalating job action if a new contract agreement with the District of West Vancouver isn’t reached by Sept. 7.
The Amalgamated Transit Union local 134’s 150 members voted 99 per cent for strike action last month. Since July 23, the union has banned its members from both working overtime and wearing their uniforms on the job.
At issue in the dispute are the wages paid to community shuttle bus drivers, which are $3.30 less per hour than Coast Mountain Bus Co. pays its drivers under the TransLink system, and guaranteed break times for drivers scheduled into the day’s runs.
The union was the last to submit a proposal on Aug. 5.
“If they can’t do any better than this, we will see escalating job action in September – count on it,” said Cornel Neagu in a release.
According to the district, there has been an average service reduction of and 10 per cent on weekdays and 13 per cent on weekends.
“We continue to encourage the union to return to the bargaining table to resume negotiations and are looking forward to resolving this with a contract that is fair and fiscally responsible,” the statement from the district read.
The union local last went on full strike in 2016 for one day before a deal could be reached.
