As you may know, CUPE Local 4500 and TransLink's Coast Mountain Bus Company have been negotiating a new collective agreement. The union issued a strike notice earlier, noting that they would walk off the job for 48 hours if both parties could not reach a new collective agreement.
Unfortunately, a new agreement was not reached. As of a few hours ago, there is no conventional bus service in Metro Vancouver, with some limited exceptions, including in Langley City.
Because some buses in Langley City are operated by a different company, the 372, 560, 561, 562, 563, and 564 routes are still running. HandyDART is also operating. For more information, please visit TransLink's website.
Some people might ask what the region's mayors are doing to help get to a new collective agreement. The Mayors' Council on Regional Transportation does not have a role in the collective bargaining process; it is between the unions, TransLink management, and the TransLink board.
The Mayors' Council contributes to and approves TransLink's short-term and long-term transportation investment plans, such as Transport 2050, rolling Investment Plans, and the Access for Everyone Plan, as well as approving fare and property tax changes required to support these plans. Of course, these plans factor in assumed workers' salaries to provide service.
I hope that TransLink and the union mutually reach a new collective agreement sooner rather than later. The last major transit strike in Metro Vancouver was in 2001 and lasted 123 days. You can find out more about the 2001 strike in a CBC article.
For the most current information on transit service in Metro Vancouver, please visit TransLink's website.
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