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Tentative contract with Metro Vancouver transit workers ends threat of strike

Three-year agreement reached with bus drivers, support staff, SeaBus workers
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Bus drivers have secured a tentative three-year deal with TransLink subsidiary Coast Mountain Bus Co.

The threat of a transit strike by bus drivers and other support staff at Coast Mountain Bus Co. has ended after union and company negotiators emerged from talks with a tentative three-year contract.

Details have not yet been released but Unifor local 111 president Steve Sutherland said the agreement contains no concessions by the workers.

The deal would cover 4,700 transit operators, mechanics, maintenance staff and SeaBus workers in Metro Vancouver represented by two Unifor locals.

A ratification vote is set for next Thursday.

“If accepted, this contract will provide us with stability and allow us to focus on working with riders, the community and all three levels of government to improve transit services," Sutherland said.

Unifor B.C. area director Gavin McGarrigle said the union wants to turn its attention to persuading the provincial government to improve transit funding.

“More bus service is the quickest way to improve transit and the federal and municipal governments have shown they are committed to more funding, so we now need to convince the provincial government to do its share and make pass-ups a thing of the past," he said.

Coast Mountain Bus officials said they were pleased an agreement has been reached without a service disruption.