September 19,2025
RED FM News Desk
A strike by transit workers in Vancouver Island’s Cowichan Valley has ended after more than seven months. Unifor and employer Transdev have agreed to follow recommendations from provincial mediator Vince Ready, expected in the coming weeks.
Labour Minister Jennifer Whiteside called the resolution welcome news for residents after what she described as a “deeply disruptive” dispute. Both sides are now working on the return-to-work process, with employees being recalled immediately to help plan the restart, though BC Transit will determine when service resumes.
The strike, which began in February, centered on wage parity with other BC Transit workers. Unifor president Lana Payne thanked members for their persistence, saying they fought for fairness across the system. The dispute involved 44 operators and related workers from Unifor Local 114, along with HandyDART workers from Local 333-BC.
The union had rejected an earlier set of recommendations from Ready in July. Transdev operates the Cowichan Valley Regional Transit System under contract with BC Transit.
Loading ...
