-

CUPE 4500 Serves 72-hour Strike Notice to Coast Mountain Bus Company as No Progress Made During Mediation

BURNABY, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CUPE Local 4500, representing more than 180 Lower Mainland transit workers employed by the Coast Mountain Bus Company (CMBC), has served 72-hour strike notice, effective at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, following a long day of mediation with no progress.

Job action will begin at 8 a.m. on Saturday (January 6) with an overtime ban, which will affect all operations in the Coast Mountain system. CMBC runs transit operations for all of Metro Vancouver.

“While we are disappointed with the lack of movement today and have served strike notice, we are still available to meet and negotiate a fair collective agreement that avoids service disruptions. We hope the employer shows the same willingness,” said CUPE 4500 President Chris Gindhu, commenting on today’s talks with mediator Vince Ready.

“We regard job action as the last resort in our effort to reach a fair deal, but we don’t see an alternative. To date, Coast Mountain has been unwilling to address our key issues.”

The last collective agreement expired on December 31, 2022, and the parties didn’t start bargaining until October 16, 2023. They sat for 14 days of negotiations before reaching impasse on December 5. In a strike vote held on December 12, CUPE 4500 members voted 100 per cent in favour.

CUPE 4500 members employed by Coast Mountain work as Transit Supervisors, Maintenance Supervisors, Service Supervisors, Tireperson Supervisors, TComm Supervisors, Field Service Trainers, Engineers, and Warranty Administrators, as well as supervisors for the Parts department, Body Shop, Trolley Overhead, and Fare Box staff.

COPE491

Contacts

Liam O’Neill, CUPE National Representative: 672.514.5426
Dan Gawthrop, CUPE Communications Representative: 604.999.6132

Industry:

CUPE

Release Versions
English

Contacts

Liam O’Neill, CUPE National Representative: 672.514.5426
Dan Gawthrop, CUPE Communications Representative: 604.999.6132

More News From CUPE

UNIONS NEEDED NOW MORE THAN EVER 

EDMONTON, AB--(BUSINESS WIRE)--“Attacks on working people over the last year show us that Albertans need strong unions now more than ever,” says CUPE Alberta President Raj Uppal. “The annual celebration of Labour Day across Alberta gives us the opportunity to reflect upon and celebrate the working folks who make our province run. “A one-day strike at WestJet last month was enough to show what united workers can achieve. Corporations continue to unfairly rake in record profits on the backs of wo...

“Make a real offer, or pick an arbitrator” - CUPE holds province-wide day of action to call out delays in negotiations with Extendicare

Markham, ON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--For months, 8 CUPE locals representing over 1100 Long-Term Care workers across Ontario have been kept waiting for a fair contract. Where other workers would have been able to go on strike to force the employer back to the table, these workers are denied that right under the Hospital Labour Disputes Arbitration Act (HLDAA), forcing them into a long and drawn-out process to get a fair contract. CUPE’s Extendicare Central Table last heard from their employer on June 2...

Care Can’t Wait! Long-Term Care workers hold province wide day of action calling out delays in contract negotiations with Extendicare

OTTAWA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--For months, 8 CUPE locals representing over 1100 long term care workers across Ontario have been kept waiting for a fair contract. Where other workers would have been able to go on strike to force the employer back to the table, these workers are denied that right under the Hospital Labour Disputes Arbitration Act (HLDAA), forcing them into a long and drawn-out process to get a fair contract. CUPE’s Extendicare Central Table last heard from their employer on June 29, 20...
Back to Newsroom