Image: Dan Coulter's office / Chilliwack MLA Dan Coulter, Minister of Infrastructure and Transit, says it is his understanding that both parties in the ongoing bus strike have declined an offer of mediation services from the B.C. government. Coulter, the provincial transit minister, has not commented publicly on the transit strike on his Facebook and Twitter pages since unionized bus drivers walked off the job on Monday, March 20. 

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Parties to bus strike decline mediation help

Coulter says parties to bus strike have declined help from a mediator

Apr 15, 2023 | 7:36 AM

CHILLIWACK — Chilliwack MLA and Minister of State for Infrastructure and Transit Dan Coulter says both parties involved in the ongoing bus strike have declined assistance from an outside mediator as proposed by the B.C. Minister of Labour.

In a statement released Friday (Apr. 14), Coulter advised that the B.C. government has offered to enlist the services of a mediator, but neither party has accepted the offer. He did not mention either company by name in his statement, but it is presumed to be CUPE and First Transit.

“The Minister of Labour (Harry Bains) has reached out to both parties and offered mediation services,” Coulter said. “My understanding is that at this point, neither of them has requested assistance from a mediator.”

The bus strike is approaching the four-week mark this Monday, April 17. Coulter says he’s aware of the impact of the bus strike, though as transit minister, he has not publicly addressed the strike on his official Twitter and Facebook pages between March 20 and April 14.

“People in our community want reliable transit service and I know that the dispute is having [a] significant impact on people across the Fraser Valley,” said Coulter. “I encourage both parties to urgently get back to the bargaining table to work out an end to the dispute.”

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About two weeks ago, a B.C. Transit spokesperson said the provincial Crown agency was not in a position to comment on the ongoing bus strike that has shown no signs of any progress.

According to an emailed statement on Friday (Mar. 31) from Erin Moore, senior communications and engagement advisor with B.C. Transit, the provincial Crown agency tasked with providing transit services outside Metro Vancouver says it is closely monitoring the situation.

“As this is a labour dispute between B.C. Transit’s contractor, First Transit, and their unionized employees, B.C. Transit is not at liberty to discuss the issue,” Moore said via email. “B.C. Transit is closely monitoring the situation and hopes the parties will find resolution soon.”