Central Okanagan bus strike over; transit service to resume

CENTRAL OKANAGAN – Two weeks after it started, the Central Okanagan transit strike is over.

Amalgamated Transit Union local 1722 president Scott Lovell announced yesterday he was taking an offer from employer, First Canada, to their members for a vote this morning, Nov. 23.

According to Lovell, 61 per cent of union members voted to accept the offer.

“We have action in place to get buses running again on Thursday,” he says.

The details of the new contract have not yet been released, but Lovell says First Canada agreed to pay the same wage regardless of bus size.

“That’s really what we wanted,” Lovell says.

The union, which includes bus drivers in Kelowna, West Kelowna, Lake Country and Peachland, have been without a contract since April 1. Negotiations with First Canada, which is subcontracted by B.C. Transit, fell apart Nov. 9 and job action began Nov. 10.

The union was also asking for a tiered wage system and a retirement package. Additionally they want the city to work towards setting up a locally-managed Okanagan Transit Authority.

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