Employer considers union plan in week two of Metro Vancouver HandyDART transit strike

HandyDART transit system vehicles are seen parked at a yard in Surrey, B.C., on Thursday, September 5, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Most services for Metro Vancouver's specialized HandyDART transit system remain cancelled for a second week, with the operator saying it will respond to a new proposal from the union representing striking workers on Thursday.

TransDev Canada says that's when talks were "previously scheduled" to resume, and no agreements were reached in Sunday's initial mediated talks.

Joe McCann, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1724, says it's disappointed as it was willing to negotiate around the clock for its riders, accusing Transdev of lacking the same urgency.

About 600 employees of the door-to-door service for people unable to navigate the conventional transit system have been on strike since last Tuesday, halting service with the exception of some essential medical trips.

The dispute centres mostly around pay, with the union arguing its members don't make as much as others working similar roles elsewhere in Canada.

Transdev says it believes workers should receive fair wages for their work but that such a contract must "balance the needs" of employees, HandyDART clients and taxpayers.

"We will keep working on a path to resolution with the union and we apologize to the community for the public impact of this collective bargaining dispute," Transdev says in its statement Monday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 9, 2024.