Transit users in the Cowichan Valley could face another strike if a new collective agreement is not reached in the coming years.
A member of Unifor addressed the board of the Cowichan Valley Regional District during its Feb. 25 meeting, warning about the potential impact of another transit strike if a deal is not reached before the current agreement expires March 31, 2028.
Doug Drummond said Transdev, which operates the region’s transit system, is a for-profit company and alleged it has not been motivated to engage in meaningful collective bargaining during the past two contract negotiations.
“The current agreement expires in 25 short months,” Drummond said. “Transdev will take labour more seriously, but labour is more militant now. And without meaningful collective bargaining, another strike it possible.”
The last transit strike in the Cowichan Valley ran from Feb. 8 to Sept. 18 and was widely described as the longest transit strike in B.C. history. Workers sought improvements to working conditions, and the dispute ended after the provincial government appointed veteran labour mediator Vince Ready to oversee negotiations.
Drummond urged the regional district board to improve funding for transit services in the Cowichan Valley.
