Vancouver transit strike averted with tentative deal

The union representing thousands of transit workers has reached a tentative agreement with transit operator Coast Mountain Bus Company, averting a system-wide bus and Seabus strike that would have lasted through Friday.

The parties bargained half an hour past the planned deadline, emerging at 12:30 a.m. on Wednesday.

“This has been one heck of a day, but I’m here to announce that we have a tentative agreement for TransLink,” said Unifor’s national president, Jerry Dias.

"As a result of the tentative agreement, there will be no disruption of any services. We will inform our members to get back to work immediately. We will make sure there is complete service tomorrow morning."

Mr. Dias said the union would be withholding details of the agreement until it is ratified with members. Gavin McGarrigle, western regional director and lead negotiator, said the contract "recognizes that Unifor members are the backbone of the Metro Vancouver transit system."

The ratification process is expected to take several weeks.

The union voted 99 per cent in favour of strike action last month, and job action began Nov. 1 with an overtime ban by mechanics, which later expanded to bus drivers. Past negotiations between Unifor and Coast Mountain fell through earlier this month. Issues include wages, benefits and working conditions.

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