Bus Union Rejects Deal
Unifor Locals reject tentative agreement with Coast Mountain Bus Company, seeking improved working conditions.
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Members of Unifor Locals 111 and 2200 voted on June 29 to reject a tentative agreement with Coast Mountain Bus Company, keeping a strike mandate in place that could shut down 96% of Metro Vancouver's bus service, according to Unifor. The vote came just days after a deal was reached on June 22 — one that had temporarily averted a strike during the FIFA World Cup 2026.
The rejection puts over 5,000 transit workers back at the bargaining table. Unifor Western Regional Director Gavin McGarrigle said the union is "not rushing to job action" and is "focused first on working with members to win the changes they need," according to Unifor.
Washrooms, Break Times Drove Members to Say No
The rejected deal offered wage and benefit improvements, but members said it did not go far enough on working conditions. The core issues are "running times" — how long operators get to complete a route — and "recovery times," the scheduled breaks between trips. Unifor says many drivers regularly go without access to clean water or functioning washrooms because schedules are too tight.
Unifor National President Lana Payne accused Coast Mountain Bus Company of "demanding concessions that would chip away at workplace safety" and trying to "strip dignity from the job," according to North Shore News. The union is framing this dispute as a basic human rights issue, not just a wage fight.
A 99% Strike Mandate Still Hanging Over Vancouver
Members voted 99.35% in favor of strike action back in May, according to Unifor Local 2200. Under B.C. labor law, that mandate stays valid for 90 days. The union must give 72 hours' notice before any job action begins, according to Daily Hive.
A strike would halt roughly 500,000 daily bus boardings on a typical weekday, according to Daily Hive. SkyTrain and West Coast Express would keep running, but transit experts expect both systems would be quickly overwhelmed by displaced riders.
FIFA World Cup Raises the Political Stakes
The FIFA World Cup 2026 kicked off in Vancouver on June 11, and ridership hit a record 1.36 million boardings on June 18, according to Daily Hive. TransLink invested $21.6 million in tournament-specific services, including special Fan Festival express buses. A strike would effectively cancel those plans.
The B.C. government and City of Vancouver have committed over $700 million to host the World Cup, according to CBC News. BMO economist Sal Guatieri estimated each Canada match played in Vancouver adds $70 million to the local economy, making the timing of any job action politically explosive.
What Happens Next as Talks Resume
Negotiations started formally on February 2, 2026, and the previous collective agreement expired March 31, according to CBC News. Talks broke off in May before mediator Trevor Sones, an adjunct professor at UBC Sauder School of Business, helped broker the tentative deal in June, according to CTV News.
With the strike mandate still in place, both sides now face pressure to return to the table quickly. Unifor says it is committed to working with its members to "secure these improvements." Coast Mountain Bus Company has not yet publicly responded to the vote result, according to Edmonton Sun.
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