A bus is pictured in downtown Vancouver, in a Nov. 1, 2019, file photo.JONATHAN HAYWARD/The Canadian Press
An overtime ban by Metro Vancouver transit drivers snarled Monday’s commute for many bus passengers.
TransLink, the area’s transit operator, lists hundreds of service alerts on dozens of routes across the Lower Mainland as Unifor bus drivers, SeaBus operators and mechanics enter Day 18 of a labour dispute with Coast Mountain Bus Co.
Coast Mountain, the contract operator for bus services, has warned up to 10 per cent of service could be affected by the daylong overtime ban that is also slated to continue Wednesday and Friday.
Some hard-hit routes include the busy line along Broadway and buses to Simon Fraser University, the University of B.C., the B.C. Institute of Technology and Capilano University.
Four SeaBus sailings between Vancouver and the North Shore were also cancelled Monday.
Discussions about wages, benefits and working conditions collapsed last week, with Coast Mountain calling for a mediator and Unifor arguing the company is not serious about negotiations, so a third party won’t help resolve outstanding issues.
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