CUPE Local 4500, representing more than 180 Lower Mainland transit workers employed by the Coast Mountain Bus Company (CMBC), has served 72-hour strike notice, effective at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, following a long day of mediation with no progress.

Job action will begin at 8 a.m. on Saturday (January 6) with an overtime ban, which will affect all operations in the Coast Mountain system. CMBC runs transit operations for all of Metro Vancouver.

“While we are disappointed with the lack of movement today and have served strike notice, we are still available to meet and negotiate a fair collective agreement that avoids service disruptions. We hope the employer shows the same willingness,” said CUPE 4500 President Chris Gindhu, commenting on today’s talks with mediator Vince Ready.

“We regard job action as the last resort in our effort to reach a fair deal, but we don’t see an alternative. To date, Coast Mountain has been unwilling to address our key issues.”

The last collective agreement expired on December 31, 2022, and the parties didn’t start bargaining until October 16, 2023. They sat for 14 days of negotiations before reaching impasse on December 5. In a strike vote held on December 12, CUPE 4500 members voted 100 per cent in favour.

CUPE 4500 members employed by Coast Mountain work as Transit Supervisors, Maintenance Supervisors, Service Supervisors, Tireperson Supervisors, TComm Supervisors, Field Service Trainers, Engineers, and Warranty Administrators, as well as supervisors for the Parts department, Body Shop, Trolley Overhead, and Fare Box staff.

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