Cowichan Valley transit strike continues into 3rd month

Kathryn Marlow · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 14, 2025 8:09 PM EDT | Last Updated: 2 minutes ago

Striking autobus and handyDART workers rallied extracurricular the B.C. Transit office successful Victoria, B.C., connected Monday, saying they person yet to get the statement they privation erstwhile it comes to wages, pension and washroom breaks. 

Bus operator Michelle de Vries said that erstwhile she and her colleagues request to usage the washroom, they person to propulsion implicit mid-route and look for a nationalist facility. 

She said that means they extremity up utilizing places that aren't ever clean, oregon backstage — and they extremity up moving down schedule. 

"Buses tally late, and it means we're making the passengers precocious for their occupation oregon their aesculapian appointment," said de Vries. 

Members of Unifor Locals 114 and 333 accidental they privation some scheduled breaks and backstage washrooms to use. They accidental they besides privation wages to lucifer drivers successful different regions, similar Victoria. 

The onslaught began connected Feb. 8, and arsenic a result, determination are nary buses moving successful the Cowichan Valley, which is astir 60 kilometres northbound of Victoria. 

HandyDART work is lone disposable for appointments related to renal dialysis, crab attraction and aggregate sclerosis.

Union calling for alteration astatine B.C. Transit 

The national and leader person met for 3 days of mediation, with 2 much coming this week.  

The workers are employed by a backstage institution called TransDev, which is contracted by B.C. Transit to tally autobus work successful the region. 

Union representatives accidental that's 1 of the reasons they can't get the woody they privation — arguing their leader is motivated by profits, not by nationalist need. 

They're calling connected the provincial authorities to alteration the mode transit is organized. 

During the autumn predetermination campaign, the B.C. NDP promised to reappraisal the backstage contracting of nationalist transit to marque definite it was providing the champion work and the champion worth for taxation dollars. 

Unifor's western determination director, Gavin McGarrigle, said labour troubles could proceed across B.C. until that happens. 

"We told the premier, until you hole this problem, backstage transit workers are going to spell connected onslaught for fairness and dignity," said McGarrigle. 

In a connection to CBC, B.C.'s Ministry of Transportation and Transit said 1 of its cardinal mandates is to ensure "that provincial transit services are being delivered successful a mode that is outgo effectual for taxpayers, responsive to the concerns of transit riders, and not duplicative of administration," and volition bash truthful by reviewing the backstage transportation model. 

It said it has begun by reviewing HandyDART, a process which is presently underway. 

When it comes to labour enactment successful the Cowichan Valley, leader TransDev told CBC successful a connection that it is committed to the mediation process and to getting transit up and moving again. 

"Our precedence continues to beryllium uncovering a solution that supports our employees portion maintaining the semipermanent sustainability of transit services successful the Cowichan Valley," said Transdev Canada's elder vice president for Western Canada, Emily Watson. 

Mediation is scheduled to resume connected April 16 and 17.