Transit strike: Here's the latest on SkyTrain negotiations
Credit to Author: Stephanie Ip| Date: Mon, 09 Dec 2019 19:19:29 +0000
While transit operators were able to reach a deal with Coast Mountain Bus Company, SkyTrain workers have not been as lucky.
As a result, a SkyTrain strike is scheduled to begin 5 a.m. on Tuesday unless the company and the union representing workers comes to an agreement on Monday.
Watch here for the latest on SkyTrain service and the negotiations.
• CUPE 7000, which represents 900 SkyTrain workers, and B.C. Rapid Transit Company, which employs the workers, have spent more than 40 days bargaining for a new collective agreement. Their most recent agreement expired on Aug. 31.
• The two sides also went through four days of mediation last week but no progress was made.
• CUPE 7000 then issued 72-hour strike notice on Friday, which means its members are prepared to walk out on the job following the end of the notice period.
• A three-day full withdrawal of SkyTrain services is scheduled to begin Tuesday at 5 a.m. unless a deal is reached. Service would resume on Friday at 5 a.m.
• Negotiations will continue throughout Monday and up until the deadline at midnight.
• Only the Expo and Millennium Lines are affected. The Canada Line is not affected by the job action as those workers are represented by a different union.
• TransLink will not have additional buses on its regular routes and cannot put buses on SkyTrain routes or have bus bridges between SkyTrain stations as it would violate labour laws.
• SkyTrain workers opted for a full withdrawal of services because an overtime ban would reduce staffing levels significantly and would not allow for the system to be operated safely.
• A uniform ban also would not work because passengers wouldn’t recognize staff if they were to step in during emergencies on platforms and trains.
• Unifor, which represents transit operators, was able to reach a deal with Coast Mountain Bus Company in the final minutes before deadline, so things can often change very quickly in negotiations.
• Headed to the Vancouver Canucks vs. Toronto Maple Leafs game at Rogers Arena on Tuesday evening? Give yourself extra time to get there if the strike goes ahead as planned, as Stadium-Chinatown SkyTrain station would not be in operation during the strike.
SkyTrain is operating it's regular schedule today. ^CK
✔️ Expo and Millennium Lines
✔️ Canada Line
✔️ Bus
✔️ SeaBus
✔️ West Coast Express
✔️ HandyDART
Statement from Michael McDaniel, President of Coast Mountain Bus Company: pic.twitter.com/rjVMhB4XY7
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