Vancouver, BC – More than 600 Metro Vancouver HandyDART workers represented by Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1724 will engage in a full work stoppage to begin August 26, unless they reach a tentative agreement with Transdev, their employer by the strike deadline on August 25, 2024, at 6:00pm.
The ATU has been in contract negotiations with Transdev, the French company contracted by Translink to operate the service, since November 2023. On June 27, 2024, ATU members voted 95% to authorize strike action, with 87% of active members participating in the strike vote overall.
“We started a series of escalating job actions in early July with the hope that Transdev would come to see reason and avoid a strike,” said Local 1724 President Joe McCann. “Instead of negotiating however, Transdev has stonewalled bargaining, and even threatened payroll disruptions against members who refused to work overtime in protest of the company’s behavior. Enough is enough.”
Since July 3, HandyDART workers have engaged in partial work withdrawals as part of a steady ramp up of job actions. These have included: refusals to wear uniforms; collect fares; work overtime; fill out certain kinds of paperwork; and doing work off the clock.
President McCann noted that contract talks are just as much about ensuring a sustainable future for HandyDART riders as for workers. “Our fight is about more than just a union contract. This is a question about the future of accessibility in Metro Vancouver: do we want to live in a place where everyone, including seniors and those with disabilities have access to affordable transit? Or will we allow French multinational corporations to continue siphoning millions of dollars from our taxpayer money, while transit service for vulnerable Vancouver residents flounders due to extreme staffing shortages?”
The ATU says that staffing shortages and high turnover (which is more than double that of the rest of Translink) arises from poor compensation in comparison to other transit jobs in the region. HandyDART drivers in the Fraser Valley earn 16% more than Metro Vancouver HandyDART drivers; and Coast Mountain drivers earn 30% more.
Rider complaints about Transdev have caused a wave of public criticism over the last year, with many Mayors and City Councils openly calling for Translink to fire Transdev and bring the service in-house in order to improve safety and public accountability. Six Mayors currently sitting on Translink’s Mayors’ Council of Regional Transportation have called for HandyDART to be operated directly by Translink, and the City Councils of Burnaby, North Vancouver, Maple Ridge, Langley City, and Langley Township have all passed resolutions calling for the same.
“Transdev has failed hundreds of workers and thousands of riders that need specialized transit to get to vital medical care, to see loved ones, and to attend day programs. Perhaps Transdev cares little about this impending work stoppage because they’re based abroad and only care about their bottom line, but we are once again calling on Translink to step in and direct their contractor to bargain a fair deal,” said McCann.
“Our Local 1724 member’s services are not just a means of transportation,” said ATU International President John Costa. “They are a lifeline that ensures everyone, regardless of their mobility challenges, can navigate the world with dignity and independence. These dedicated workers deserve fair wages, safe working conditions, and respect in the workplace for the vital work they do. The ATU International remains steadfast in our support for Local 1724 and will continue to advocate for their rights until a fair contract is reached for the sake of our members and riders.”
If Metro Vancouver HandyDART workers were to go on strike, this would be the third major transit work stoppage in BC against Transdev in less than two years.