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Dispute could mar bus ride to Whistler, B.C., during Olympics
The Canadian Press
December 29, 2009
VANCOUVER, BC — A major transportation provider to Whistler, B.C., during the 2010 Olympic Games could be behind picket lines by New Year's Day.
Just hours after the union representing Pacific Coach Lines issued 72-hour strike notice, the company issued lockout notice, meaning bus service could be halted as early as Friday.
The company is hopeful a mediator's involvement will help settle the dispute before a work stoppage, but the union is far less optimistic.
Canadian Auto Workers representative Gavin McGarrigle said Tuesday the union had been asking for a return to the bargaining table for several days, but the company has been resistant.
"They wanted us to come back under their framework for what they see as a deal and set preconditions for the return to the table," he said.
Darian Tooley, the company's sales and marketing director, said both sides have agreed to mediated talks on Wednesday.
"We hope to come to an agreement prior to any labour disruption," Tooley said.
If the labour dispute drags into February, when Whistler and Vancouver are hosting the Olympic Games, it could significantly cut into Pacific Coach Lines's plans to leverage the Games.
The bus line provides service between Vancouver and Victioria over BC Ferries and from Vancouver International Airport to Whistler.
Last month, the company touted its revamped schedule to provide Olympic visitors, regional residents and day skiers the chance to visit Whistler for the day "to experience the magic of the Games in the mountains."
Most of the Whistler-Blackcomb resort will remain open during the Games, but there are strict restrictions on bringing cars into the village.
PCL is the only way people wanting to take the bus from Vancouver's airport to Whistler can get to the resort, unless they want to charter. McGarrigle said it would be very difficult for another company to step in and assume the service.
Those with Olympic tickets to Whistler events can purchase transport on one of the Olympic organizing committee's buses.
But people without tickets will mostly have to rely on bus services like Pacific Coach Lines.
"We believe that a strike or lock out at PCL will lead to a complete shutdown of operations," the union spokesman said.
McGarrigle said they won't have to wait for the Olympics to see the impact with 25 buses every day going up to Whistler from Vancouver's airport.
"If you want to go via bus, PCL is the only choice."
The Canadian Autoworkers Union served 72-hour strike notice Tuesday on Pacific Coach Lines.
The union says The 127 workers could walk out as early as Saturday, stopping all PCL operations, while the company could lock out the workers on Friday.
Drivers, mechanics, service staff and ticket agents are seeking improved wages, benefits, pension contributions and job security.
The CAW contract with Pacific Coach Lines expired last March and the union said a recent round of mediated talks failed to resolve the dispute.
Tooley remains confident about the mediators involvement.
"I believe it's evident at how quickly both parties moved that we'd like to obtain a resolution as quickly as possible," she said.
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Bus line labour strife looming
The Canadian Press
December 29, 2009
Pacific Coach Lines has issued a lockout notice that could take effect Friday.
A bus company that provides service linking Vancouver, Vancouver Island and Whistler faces a labour dispute that could disrupt service as soon as New Year's Day.
The Canadian Autoworkers Union served 72-hour strike notice to Pacific Coach Lines on Tuesday.
The company responded by issuing a lockout notice that could take effect Friday. Both sides have agreed to meet with a mediator Wednesday.
Pacific Coach spokeswoman Darian Tooley said he hoped the dispute can be settled before any job action.
Union spokesman Gavin McGarrigle was not as optimistic that there would be progress during the new talks.
McGarrigle said job security is a major issue for the 127 workers, with wages, pensions and benefits also in dispute.
Included among union members are drivers, mechanics, service staff and ticket agents.
They voted 91 per cent in favour of job action in late November and have been without a contract since March 31.
Pacific Coach Lines provides bus service linking Victoria, Nanaimo and Vancouver via BC Ferries. The company also has an exclusive contract to carry passengers from the Vancouver Airport to Whistler on the Whistler Skylynx service.
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Major Vancouver airport-Whistler bus line faces strike threat
By Fiona Anderson
December 29th, 2009
VANCOUVER — Pacific Coach Lines, for many the only link between Vancouver's International Airport and Whistler, could be shut down as bus drivers, mechanics and other workers threaten to walk off the job Friday at midnight.
CAW local 114, which represents 127 workers at PCL, the majority of them drivers, handed the company 72-hour strike notice on Tuesday, putting them in the position to strike at 12:01 Saturday morning. The company retaliated by provided a 72-hour lockout notice to the union. The union and company have been without a contract since March 31, 2009.
PCL is the only licensed bus transportation company with access to main terminal arrivals at YVR during the Olympics, according to a news release issued by the company in November, announcing its schedule for the 2010 Winter Olympics. The company plans to run 26 daily trips between Vancouver and Whistler – all but one from the Vancouver area starting at YVR – during the two- week period. It currently offers 25 daily trips between YVR and Whistler.
But none of those trips will proceed if the two parties cannot ink a deal in time.
The parties are scheduled to meet with a mediator Wednesday but CAW national representative Gavin McGarrigle said he wasn't "overly hopeful" the two would be able to resolve their differences.
The main issues are job security – with the union accusing PCL of transferring some of its work to an affiliated company – wages and benefits.
All the union is looking for is a fair contract, McGarrigle said.
PCL took over the YVR-Whistler route a few years, and those buses have about 40 to 50 passengers on them each, McGarrigle said. It also provides bus service on every scheduled ferry between Tsawwassen and Schwartz Bay.
"So for the company to be coming to the table and crying poverty doesn't really go over very well with the members," McGarrigle said.
And as PCL is "the sole provider of individual-ticketed bus service up to Whistler from the airport," McGarrigle believes "taking out that service would have a significant impact."
"We don't want to inconvenience the customers or the public at all and we're doing everything we can to avoid that," McGarrigle said. "But unfortunately there comes a point when enough is enough. And the members have said we need and deserve a fair contract and we're prepared to take action if we have to."
"We hope that the company will sit down and bargain on a fair contract," he added. "The members provide a good service, they're very proud of the work they perform and we don't want to have any inconvenience to the public. But we think a fair contract is not unreasonable."
PCL was more optimistic about the upcoming contract talks.
"We hope to come to an agreement prior to any labour disruption," Darian Tooley, PCL's director of sales and marketing, said in an e-mail. "The spirit of bargaining continues as both parties would like to obtain a resolution as quickly as possible."
Tooley also said PCL would be issuing a status update Wednesday.
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Union serves PCL with 72-hour strike notice
By David Burke
December 29,2009
The union representing drivers for the bus line that links Vancouver International Airport (YVR) and Whistler has served the company with 72-hour strike notice.
The 127 workers represented by the Canadian Auto Workers Local 114, most of them drivers, have been working without a contract since March 31. In late November, the workers voted 91 per cent in favour of strike action.
On Tuesday (Dec. 29), the union served notice of strike action starting Saturday (Jan. 2) at 12:01 a.m. unless an agreement is reached.
Issues involved in the labour dispute include wages, benefits, pension contributions and job security clauses, CAW officials said.
“A strike at PCL will likely lead to a complete shutdown of operations in Victoria, Vancouver and Whistler,” CAW National Representative Gavin McGarrigle said in a statement.
The parties are scheduled to meet with a mediator on Wednesday (Dec. 30), but McGarrigle told the Vancouver Sun that he wasn’t “overly hopeful” that the two would be able to reach an agreement.
In addition to the SkyLynx service between YVR and Whistler, PCL provides scheduled cross-water service from downtown Victoria to the Swartz Bay ferry terminal and between the Tsawwassen ferry terminal and downtown Vancouver.
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