Tentative agreement reached to end Sea to Sky transit strike
The months-long transit strike in B.C.'s Sea to Sky region may be coming to an end, after representatives from the union and the employer signed a tentative agreement Friday.
Neither side has released any details of the agreement, which will be put before members of Unifor Local 114 for a vote on Monday.
In a news release, the union said its bargaining committee "unanimously recommended" that members ratify the agreement.
Residents of the communities of Squamish, Whistler and Pemberton have been without transit service since Jan. 29, when Local 114's 80 members went on strike.
Multiple rounds of talks began and then broke down over the course of the four-month strike.
In the union's statement Friday, Unifor's western regional director Gavin McGarrigle praised members' efforts during the strike.
“Transit workers in the Sea to Sky went on strike to address the deeply unfair disparity between their wages and benefits and what is paid in other regions,” McGarrigle said.
“Local 114 members maintained a solid picket line and grew community support for their fight. I think they’ve accomplished a lot in these negotiations and demonstrated the importance of regional transit to these communities.”
In its own statement, employer Whistler Transit Ltd./Diversified Transportation – also known as PW Transit – said it was "pleased" to have reached the tentative agreement.
The employer added that details on the resumption of transit services in the region would be released "shortly."
The union said transit would resume "when it is safe to do so."
BC Transit, which contracts PW Transit to operate the Sea to Sky system, also promised more information on a resumption of operations soon.
"BC Transit understands the serious impact this job action had on residents and local businesses in the community, and heard customers’ frustrations," the provincial transit agency said in a statement Saturday.
"We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience of the past few months and are pleased the parties were able to reach this agreement."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
W5 Investigates Car security investigation: How W5 'stole' a car using a device we ordered online
In part two of a three-part series into how thieves are able to drive off with modern vehicles so easily, CTV W5 correspondent Jon Woodward uses a device flagged by police to easily clone a car key.
'The Woodstock of our generation': Taylor Swift photographer credits email to her connection with the superstar
Taylor Swift has millions of fans worldwide, but Brampton, Ont.'s Jasmeet Sidhu has gotten closer to the musical icon than most.
opinion Why the new U.S. administration won't have much time for us
In a column for CTVNews.ca, former Conservative Party political advisor and strategist Rudy Husny says that when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau goes to the G-20 summit next week, it will look more like his goodbye tour.
A look at how much mail Canada Post delivers, amid a strike notice
Amid a potential postal worker strike, here’s a look at how many letters and parcels the corporation delivers and how those numbers have changed in the internet age.
What makes walking so great for your health and what else you need to do
Medical experts agree that walking is an easy way to improve physical and mental health, bolster fitness and prevent disease. While it’s not the only sort of exercise people should do, it’s a great first step toward a healthy life.
India's 'most wanted terrorist' arrested on gun charges in Canada
One of India's most wanted terrorists has been arrested and charged in connection with a recent alleged shooting in Ontario.
'A tremendous inconvenience': Rural communities prepare for potential postal disruptions
The inability to send and receive letter mail won’t be the main pitfall of a service disruption. The biggest concern for rural communities will be parcel delivery. Small communities often rely on online deliveries for items they cannot find locally.
Energy experts think Donald Trump will make tariff exemptions for Canadian oil
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump's promise to slap an across-the-board tariff of at least 10 per cent on all imports including from Canada is unlikely to apply to Canadian oil, energy experts are predicting.
U.S. Congress hosts second round of UFO hearings
The U.S. government held another UFO hearing on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, the second such hearing in 16 months. This hearing was billed as an attempt by congress to provide a better understanding of what is known about previous sightings of UFOs, also known as UAPs (Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena).