Metro Vancouver HandyDART workers, employer to go into mediation

The operator of Metro Vancouver's HandyDART transit service says it will meet with striking workers and a mediator on Sunday in an effort to resolve the dispute that has shut down most of the service.

Transdev Canada says it's been in contact with the B.C. Labour Relations Board, which had contacted the union in an effort to resolve the contract dispute, and both sides had agreed to the meeting.

Transdev says an essential service agreement means the door-to-door transport system is still available for those with medical conditions who need to get to appointments for cancer, renal or multiple sclerosis treatments.

Other HandyDART trips in Metro Vancouver have been cancelled for an indefinite period after unionized workers began their strike Tuesday morning.

Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1724 says most of its members are "frustrated," and rejected the company's final contract offer last week after dealing with staffing shortages and "poor compensation" compared to other transit employees.

The local's financial secretary, Laura Wylie, says it's "great" news that the company is ready to talk on Sunday, but the union is willing to meet even sooner.

The striking HandyDART workers meanwhile staged a rally in Vancouver where union president Joe McCann said allowing the service to be run by a for-profit company isn't working, and it's up to regional transport provider TransLink to step in and "fix this mess."

McCann said the service in Metro Vancouver had been contracted out to France-based Transdev since 2018. 

"Transdev is a private for-profit company. HandyDART and our clients are not a model for profit, it doesn't work … it's a failed experiment," said McCann, who was joined by the union's international president, John Costa. 

"Our workers are valued differently. They are treated differently than regular transit drivers. Our passengers are marginalized, they are not valued. It's sad."

Hundreds showed up at the rally at Thornton Park across from the Pacific Central Station in Vancouver.

McCann said the union wasn't just calling for better pay for workers and better services for riders but also wanted the TransLink board to take control of HandyDART's Metro Vancouver operation.

"Take us in-house, TransLink, that's enough of this failed experiment … tell Transdev to come to the table, tell them to step up, pay up, and let's take care of our passengers," said McCann.

It said the union local had told Transdev Canada it was willing to continue negotiating, but the company would not meet until Sept. 12. Transdev later announced the Sept. 8 meeting.

"Our priority remains to reach a fair contract that balances the needs of our employees, HandyDART clients, and taxpayers," read the Transdev statement. 

"We apologize to the community for the public impact of this collective bargaining dispute."

Riders show up in support

Jonathan Ascencio, a HandyDART rider from Tsawwassen, attended the rally. 

He said even though the strike affected him as a user, he wanted to show support for the workers. 

Ascencio said that after suffering a stroke at the age of 28, he started using HandyDART, which took him to destinations including his therapy in Surrey.

Ascencio said HandyDART workers would have "great conversations" with him and treated their riders with care and love. 

"HandyDART workers do it not because of the money, they do it because they care," said Ascencio. 

But he said HandyDART drivers in Metro Vancouver deserved as much money as other transit drivers. 

North Burnaby resident Beth McKellar, chair of the HandyDART Riders' Alliance, also showed up at the rally and agreed with McCann's call to bring Metro Vancouver's service in house.

McKellar said she had been using HandyDART for more than 20 years and its drivers had made her tough days easier. 

She encouraged fellow HandyDART passengers affected by the strike to reach out to their neighbours for help. 

"Hang in there, folks, It's short-term pain for long-term gain," she said.