BURNABY – CUPE 4500, the union representing over 180 striking transit supervisors in the Lower Mainland, is accepting the special mediator’s recommendations aimed at ending the union’s strike against Coast Mountain Bus Company. The union says these recommendations represent an acceptable compromise for its members and takes sufficient steps to addressing the key issues of CUPE 4500 members.
CUPE 4500 is urging Coast Mountain to also accept Mr. Vince Ready’s recommendations, so that the parties can sign off on a tentative collective agreement and further planned jobs actions can be cancelled.
“CUPE 4500 thanks Mr. Ready for his thorough and comprehensive review of the issues at the heart of this dispute. His recommendations show there are compromises that can be made on both sides of the bargaining table,” says Liam O’Neill, spokesperson for CUPE 4500. “While they don’t completely address our issues, these recommendations are clearly our best path towards a mutually acceptable settlement. We are calling on Coast Mountain to accept them and avoid any further disruptions for transit users.”
CUPE 4500 maintains that if a settlement is not reached by 12:01 a.m., Saturday, February 3, 2024, transit supervisor members will withdraw all services to Coast Mountain for 72-hours.
“We don’t see any reason to leave transit users in a state of uncertainty. We hope Coast Mountain will be quick in its deliberations and make its intentions clear,” says O’Neill. “For the sake of transit users, and the on-going relationship between CUPE 4500 members and Coast Mountain, let us put this dispute behind us.”
