On July 6 transit workers in the Cowichan Valley rejected the recommendations of the province’s mediator to end their long labour dispute.
The strike has gone on for more than 21 weeks, making it the longest transit strike in B.C.’s history.
The strikers, who are members of the Unifor union, 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, and the non-binding recommendations from the mediator didn’t meet their requirements, according bus driver Doug Drummond.
Drummond, from Lake Cowichan, said the union members overwhelmingly rejected the recommendations, with the 44 strikers from Unifor Local 114, which represents transit operators, cleaners, and mechanics, voting 85 per cent against it, and the eight HandyDART operators, who are members of Unifor Local 333, voting 100 per cent to turn the recommendations down.
“Transit workers [in the Cowichan Valley] have consistently been undervalued, deprived of pensions and had poorer working conditions than workers in other areas in B.C. where local or provincial governments fully manage the systems,” he said.
“Wage gaps for similar work have been increasing and like most workers post-COVID, we find affordability to be a major issue. Increases related to the rate of inflation have not kept up. We are fed up with worsening service levels, like cancelled runs, and the hurt and disruption this lengthy strike has caused.”
Transdev Canada said in a statement that the company expresses its disappointment following the decision by the union members to reject the settlement proposal.
The company said the proposa included significant improvements to working conditions and a wage offer that exceeds the prevailing standards for comparable roles across the region and province.
"This proposal included a top wage tier lift for conventional drivers of 16.42 per cent over 4 years, and 18.85 per cent for the handyDART drivers, a progressive increase in defined pension plan, as well as improvements to available washroom facilities throughout the system," the statement said.
"Under this rejected deal, a conventional driver starting in Cowichan today would earn $7.85 more per hour than in the publicly operated Victoria Transit System."
Emily Watson, senior vice president of Transdev in western Canada, said the company approached the mediation with openness and responsibility.
"Transdev supported the mediators’ recommended settlement, believing it was both generous and sustainable, recognizing the critical contribution of our teams while ensuring long-term service viability," she said.
"The proposal included an increase to the top rate for drivers that would have them earning $76,000 a year in 2027. The services affected by this negotiation are part of an essential public service, relied upon by thousands of residents every week. Transdev Canada remains committed to reaching a fair agreement that supports its employees while safeguarding the continuity and reliability of this public mission."
On June 4, the union and Transdev Canada, the workers’ employer, agreed to jointly apply to the province's labour minister for the appointment of a mediator from the Labour Relations Board of B.C. to try to end the labour dispute that started on Feb. 8.
The mediator issued his recommendations on June 30.
A tentative agreement was reached between the union and Transdev in April, but the workers overwhelmingly rejected it because the wage gap in the agreement between them and transit workers in Victoria was deemed unacceptable.
Drummond said the model of organization for transit in the Cowichan Valley doesn’t work.
“Since 1979, many transit systems in B.C. have had private contractors manage labour,” he said. “These private companies suppress wages and benefits and don't make working conditions better.”
