A bus strike has been averted, as members of the Sea to Sky transit union, Unifor, voted 81 per cent in favour of a five-year deal Tuesday night.
Unifor and BC Transit’s contractor in the Sea to Sky region, PW Transit Canada Ltd. which operates as Diversified Transportation in Squamish and Whistler Transit in Whistler and Pemberton, reached a tentative deal Wednesday, Jan. 20.
Approximately 90 unionized bus drivers, mechanics and maintenance workers were eligible to go on strike Jan. 16.
The retroactive deal includes wage increases of six per cent over the five-year term, according to Gavin Davies, Unifor's National Representative on the bargaining committee. Other details of the package include benefits for maintenance staff, 100 per cent benefits covered by year three, an increase of one per cent in retirement savings contributions in years four and five of the contract, and improvements in contract wording concerning shift schedules, according to Davies.
