Striking bus drivers rally on Yale Road in Chilliwack

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One of the five men present Friday on Yale Road said Fraser Valley bus operators have been without a contract coming up on four years in April.

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Another individual present suggested a reporter look at hourly wages on the CUPE 561 website; a search of the CUPE website indicated the last hourly wage posted from 2019 for a conventional bus driver was $26.28 as a starting wage, $27.52 per hour for a driver with at least 480 hours.

A community or custom bus driver, presumably operating a bus like handyDART, made a little over $23 an hour as of the last posted wage in 2019, according to the CUPE website.

The group said talks are set to occur between First Transit and CUPE 561 starting this Monday, March 13 through Wednesday, March 15. If talks collapse, the unionized bus operators present on Friday said they will go on strike indefinitely on Monday, March 20.

First Transit, the company contracted to provide bus service to Fraser Valley communities including Chilliwack, has defended its labour practices as CUPE Local 561 bus operators went on strike this past Thursday, March 9.

In a statement released Thursday morning through the company, and supplied by a B.C. Transit spokesperson, First Transit says it has presented CUPE Local 561 with substantial salary increases as it reiterates its commitment to the collective bargaining process and constructive negotiations.

“Last week, First Transit presented CUPE Local 561 with an offer that would see significant wage increases on par with trends across the province, as well as structural improvements to enhance reliability of service,” First Transit wrote in a statement. “First Transit feels strongly that its offer balances the needs of all stakeholders in the Fraser Valley’s transit system with our desire to ensure we are able to continue to attract and retain skilled and talented workers. Our lines of communication remain open, and we are hopeful that we can reach a negotiated solution that prevents further service interruptions.”

It’s not clear if CUPE Local 561 has responded publicly to the proposed wage increase.

The job action includes withdrawing all services in Chilliwack, Abbotsford, surrounding communities, and the Fraser Valley Express. First Transit says it’s working to ensure that HandyDART services will not be impacted.

“Although the three-day withdrawal services is not currently expected to impact HandyDART, First Transit is working to mitigate service disruptions and has agreements in place to ensure that essential services for certain HandyDART riders continue to be provided,” the company said in a prepared statement. “Essential services include HandyDART transportation for renal dialysis, cancer treatment, and multiple sclerosis treatment.”

The company apologized for the corresponding service reduction and the impact the three-day strike will have on its riders.

“We thank Fraser Valley residents for their patience and understanding, and join with B.C. Transit in apologizing for the impacts any loss of service caused by CUPE Local 561 will have,” the company wrote in its statement.