A last-minute deal between the union representing 5,000 transit workers and Coast Mountain Bus Company has averted a three-day, system-wide shutdown of Metro Vancouver bus and Seabus service.
The deal was reached just before 12:30 a.m. Wednesday morning, after the union requested a 30-minute extension to the midnight deadline, following ten hours of negotiation Tuesday.
“Transit workers stood up for one another and fought hard to get a fair contract,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor national president.
“Total service disruption was a last resort, so our members are relieved they can return to serving the public.”
TransLink said it is “beyond pleased” that Coast Mountain and Unifor Locals 111 and 2200, which represents the transit workers, have reached an agreement.
Details of the agreement will be made public in the coming days, after its ratified by union members.
Unifor transit workers announce a tentative agreement with Coast Mountain Bus Company #transitstrike pic.twitter.com/EsMUb41kV9
— Unifor Canada (@UniforTheUnion) November 27, 2019
Tuesday was the first time negotiators returned to the table after talks broke down nearly two weeks ago.
Unifor promised its bus drivers, Seabus operators and maintenance workers would walk off the job Wednesday, Thursday and Friday if a deal wasn’t reached by midnight Tuesday.
TransLink estimated the complete shutdown of the region’s bus system would leave an estimated 350,000 commuters stranded.
The union said its members will return to their normal working shifts on Wednesday.
But customers may experience longer than normal wait times as the company works on resuming regular service, according to TransLink.
The strike began Nov. 1 with an overtime ban for maintenance workers and uniform ban for bus drivers. The key issues were wages and working conditions.
The strike resulted in almost-daily Seabus cancellations.
Bus drivers were later added to the overtime ban, which saw hundreds of bus cancellations across the region, including Richmond.
BREAKING: We’re beyond pleased to share that Coast Mountain Bus Company, and Unifor Locals 111 and 2200 have reached a tentative agreement! We’re working towards providing regular schedules for all transit modes tomorrow, Wednesday, Nov. 27 pic.twitter.com/RLeIemkxrG
— TransLink BC (@TransLink) November 27, 2019
