scrubbedexpat091

Vancouver Bus drivers, Sea Bus and maintenance workers have issued 72 hour strike notice. Something to keep in mind and watch for if reliant on transit. No guarantee a strike will occur and an agreement could still be reached. But worth keeping in mind.

https://globalnews.ca/news/6095029/m..._5mhZtDZDMWpuQ

I am thinking about cancelling a few things planned early next week just in case.

scrubbedexpat091

Talks have broken off according to the union.

Union plans to begin strike action Friday at 8am if an agreement is not reached by then.

Initial actions will be drivers refusing to wear uniforms, and maintenance workers will refuse over-time

Assuming the company doesn't lock the workers out completely.

https://cfjctoday.com/2019/10/31/met...lks-break-off/

I am hoping the buses don't stop completely, I have an important medical appointment Monday and without buses I can't get to it.

caretaker

I was in Van once when that was on, and there were fewer buses at rush hour so they were packed solid. We'd have to wait while several full buses went past, and then barely squeeze in when one did stop. One of the drivers, (with a British accent) shouted "Take a good look, people, this is what it's going to be like for a long time!" If they don't settle and so start job action I'd phone the Dr's office tomorrow and explain you're taking transit on Monday and please don't write me off if I'm a little late. All you can do is try to get on an earlier bus if they're jammed up.

scrubbedexpat091

The union doesn't seem keen on a full strike, but the unknown is will the bus company lock the workers out. Times like this I wish we lived on a sky train route.

CanadaJimmy

This is pretty devastating to a city like Vancouver which is becoming more and more built around transit. I do think bus drivers deserve better treatment and don't think a pay raise is out of the question, even though they earn a decent amount already.

scrubbedexpat091

It's not just money, drivers don't have the best working conditions, and apparently don't get proper breaks during their shifts.

If I were able to get the class of licence needed, I would apply, well after the strike

caretaker

They get attacked sometimes, unfortunately. In a city with a big population there is a corresponding number of abusive people,

scrubbedexpat091

The company didn't lock out the drivers, buses seem mostly running normally, although I hear they cancelled some sea bus sailings today due to refusal of overtime, guess they rely on overtime pretty heavily to meet schedule demands.

More labor issues, this time with Ecomm the 9-11 operators for a good part of BC, talks between the union and employer broke down.

Issue 9-11 operators have are low pay, over-time, missing breaks, poor working conditions and burn out casing high turn over.

https://globalnews.ca/news/6115849/9...pPc_g3Hm3HLch0

I tried getting a job there a couple times.

28 legal aid staff lawyers also started job action today, starting with a 1 day walk out.

https://globalnews.ca/news/6113124/b...strike-friday/

scrubbedexpat091

Gives some insight as to what its like to be a bus driver.

https://www.communicationsbyfio.com/...ver-bus-driver

It's just wrong on so many levels not to provide adequate breaks for workers.

"Translink is exempt from providing employees the legally required 15 and 30-minute breaks—in fact, contractually, Translink only provides "recovery time" and employees are not entitled to any breaks at all."

scrubbedexpat091

Sky train employees union says talks have broken down for their contract, they represent 900 skytrain workers.

https://bc.ctvnews.ca/skytrain-worke...alks-1.4684154

One good bit of a news is Coast Mountain bus and the union for drivers and other workers are talking again.

scrubbedexpat091

Electrical lines for trolley bus came down today downtown, no injuries but 2 people were stuck in their care for a time as live wires fell onto their car. But because of the labor dispute and ban on over-time the damage can't be repaired until tomorrow hopefully.

https://globalnews.ca/news/6171645/t...-downed-wires/

Talks between the employer and union fell apart again today, so tomorrow bus drivers will also refuse over-time.

scrubbedexpat091

If an agreement isn't reached by next Wed, the union will go full strike on Wed/Thur/Fri shutting down the bus system those days.

https://globalnews.ca/news/6193288/t...ner_persistant

caretaker

And the people walking and cycling down the road will shut down half the car traffic; should be good. The skytrain will probably look like the Tokyo subway.

scrubbedexpat091

sky train workers are doing a strike vote, results are supposed to be announced tomorrow, if they vote to strike who knows, maybe their union will decide to strike on the same days. But at this point sky train workers union hasn't announced any job action.

We don't live on a sky train route, so not an option from our area, its bus only, need a bus to get to the sky train.....

scrubbedexpat091

Sky train workers have voted to strike, although the union has not yet given 72 hours notice. 87% of union members voted, and 96.8% voted to strike.

https://bc.ctvnews.ca/skytrain-worke...tion-1.4696341

Seems they have similiar issues to bus drivers, with main issues being wages, forced overtime, staffing levels and sick plan.

Canada Line and West Coast Express would not be effected as they are not part of this union.