Fraser Valley/Vancouver – A tentative deal has been reached with the Coast Mountain Bus Company, and Unifor Locals 111 and 2200.
Both sides are working towards providing regular schedules for all transit modes on Wednesday, November 27. For the Valley, that means the FVX#66 Fraser Valley Express, which was going to stop in Abbotsford, will be making its regular runs from Chilliwack to Langley.
Statement from Michael McDaniel, President of Coast Mountain Bus Company:
“I’m pleased to announce that Coast Mountain Bus Company (CMBC) has reached a negotiated, tentative deal with Unifor locals 111 and 2200, which represent bus and SeaBus operators and maintenance staff. As a result of this agreement, our employees will benefit from a competitive package which features improved wages, benefits, and working conditions.
“I would like to commend both parties for working together and finding common ground to end this difficult chapter for our customers, employees, and the company. The agreement is still to go through a ratification process, which we expect will take several weeks.
“Securing a deal means the union’s planned bus and SeaBus system shutdown will no longer proceed, nor will any further union job action. However, customers may still find some disruption to services tomorrow given the timing of a deal being reached. Commuters should check transit alerts tomorrow to ensure their route is operating on schedule.”
Details of the deal to come.
NOVEMBER 25 ORIGINAL STORY – BC Transit is aware of potential job action by employees of Coast Mountain Bus Company in Metro Vancouver. The only BC Transit service that may be affected by a strike is the route 66 Fraser Valley Express providing service from Chilliwack and Abbotsford into Metro Vancouver.
In the event strike actions results in significant cancelled service at the Carvolth Exchange in Langley, the route 66 Fraser Valley Express (FVX) will not service Carvolth Exchange. Our contingency plan for a potential strike is for the Fraser Valley Express to terminate in Abbotsford, but add in a stop and pick up at the Bourquin Exchange allowing customers to connection to other areas. On the trip into Abbotsford, the route will stop at Bourquin Exchange before terminating at Highstreet Mall, and on the trip out of Abbotsford the route will start at Bourquin Exchange before going to Highstreet Mall.
Passengers needing to get to and from Metro Vancouver will need to make alternate arrangements, which may include the West Coast Express, during the potential job action.
No other BC Transit service interruptions are anticipated due to this job action.
For details about transit services and job action in Metro Vancouver, please visit translink.ca.
