People who rely on transit in the Cowichan Valley could have to find another way of getting to their destinations as of Feb. 8.
Transit workers in the Cowichan Valley who are members of Unifor Local 114 and Local 333 have filed a strike notice after talks broke down with their employer, Transdev Canada, which was formerly known as First Transit.
The 44 Unifor members in Local 114 in the Cowichan Valley, who work as transit operators, cleaners and mechanics, and eight HandyDART operators represented by Local 333, have not been able to come to an agreement with the company and negotiations broke down on Jan. 23.
If the parties cannot reach a deal by the last bus on Feb. 7 then there will be a full work stoppage effective on Feb. 8.
The workers’ contract with Transdev expired on March 31, 2024 and the union has been bargaining with Transdev since then.
The union said it is available for additional dates for bargaining, however, there is nothing yet scheduled.
This work stoppage would affect HandyDART and conventional transit in the Cowichan Valley.
BC Transit is the provincial Crown agency responsible for the delivery of transit services outside of Greater Vancouver, and the transit company contracts the services of private operating companies, like Transdev Canada, to deliver transit services in other regions.
“As I’ve said before, strike action is not something we take lightly, we want to resolve this dispute with the employer, but our members are prepared, if necessary,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne.
“We will support our transit members with all our strength.”
Frederic Bourgeois-Leblanc, a spokesman for Transdev, said the company is committed to reaching a good outcome for all parties.
The Cowichan Valley Regional District, which partners with BC Transit and Transdev to provide public transit services within the Cowichan Valley region, said it has no comment on the possibility of a transit strike at this time.
The key outstanding issues in the labour dispute include wages, pensions and working conditions, particularly surrounding breaks and appropriate washroom facilities for operators.
“Respect and dignity for transit drivers in the Cowichan Valley comes first and foremost,” said Unifor's western regional director Gavin McGarrigle.
“Our members deserve rest breaks and opportunities to access clean and safe washroom facilities. This has become a human rights issue.”
Unifor represents 21,000 members across the road transportation sector, including 7,600 transit operators and skilled trades staff working in urban transit.
