NEW WESTMINSTER—Locked out CUPE 7000 members working for Southern Railway (SRY) have sent a loud message to company president Frank Butzelaar, courtesy of a lighted billboard message on the Queensborough bridge—located within view of SRY’s main office.
The 35-by-10 foot billboard ad, which went up on Wednesday morning, says: “Southern Railway has locked out its workers—so who’s driving the trains?” The ad urges commuters to ask Butzelaar, and provides his office phone number: 604-527-6352. A train car behind a rail post bearing a “Dangerous Goods” warning sign lurks ominously in the background.
The ad, displayed on both sides of the billboard, runs for ten seconds in rotation and is expected to be seen by an estimated 411,824 people over the next week.
Meanwhile, CUPE 7000 members on the lockout line, along with COPE members also affected by the dispute, continue to receive support from other unions. To see photos from the lockout line, visit the gallery.