Just in the nick of time, they reached a tentative deal.
The transit union, 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).
“The parties have reached a tentative agreement. As such, the deadline that was set for Friday has been postponed,” Gavin Davies, Unifor's National Representative on the bargaining committee, told The Squamish Chief in an email Thursday morning. It is a five-year deal with “modest” pay increases, improvements to benefits and changes in contract wording regarding shifts, according to Davies. He declined to elaborate.
The union had put the company on notice Tuesday that if a deal wasn’t reached by Thursday, pickets would be up at 4 a.m. Friday.
So far, no date for the vote has been set, Davies said, but the plan was to have the vote completed next week.
“We are recommending acceptance of the tentative agreement to our members,” he said.
Approximately 90 unionized bus drivers, mechanics and maintenance workers were eligible to go on strike Jan. 16.
Sticking points between the two parties had included shift schedules, RRSP contributions and the ability to take paid vacation time.
“We’re not really that far apart,” Davies said in an earlier interview on Monday.
Wages are mandated by BC Transit and were not an issue for either side, according to Davies.
BC Transit announced Jan. 14 that the union had issued a 72-hour strike notice.
The Squamish Chief will continue to update this story as it unfolds.
