The transit strike in the Cowichan Valley is now the longest transit strike in B.C. history, and there’s still no end in sight.
June 23 marked the 137th day of the strike, which began Feb. 8, making it longer than the transit strike in Whistler, the previous longest one, that lasted 136 days in 2022.
Frédéric Bourgeois-LeBlanc, a communications spokesperson for Transdev Canada, the employer of the 52 members of Unifor Locals 114 and 333 that are on strike in the Cowichan Valley, said a mediation session was recently held under the direction of the minister-appointed mediator with union representatives.
“While no agreement was reached during the session, both parties jointly requested that the appointed mediator issue a report, including recommended terms of settlement,” Bourgeois-LeBlanc said.
“We are currently waiting for said report.”
Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor’s western regional director, said that transit workers in Whistler, Kamloops, Kelowna and Victoria are currently in bargaining, and there is a real possibility these communities could end up in a similar situation.
“What this shows us is how shameful BC Transit, the municipality and the province are when it comes to being accountable to transit workers and to the public in helping to resolve this Transdev dispute,” he said.
“This is the fourth transit dispute in two years with over 400 combined days of lost transit services in these communities. It’s absolutely unacceptable.”
After many months of talks, the 44 Unifor members in Local 114 in the Cowichan Valley, who work as transit operators, cleaners and mechanics, and eight HandyDART operators represented by Local 333, have not been able to come to an acceptable agreement with the company and negotiations broke down on Jan. 23, with the strike beginning more than two weeks later.
Union members have been arguing for pay close to that of their counterparts in Victoria, as well as improved access to washroom facilities, designated breaks and more.
A tentative agreement was reached between the union and Transdev in April, but the workers overwhelmingly rejected it because the wage gap between them and transit workers in Victoria in the agreement was deemed unacceptable.
