Metro Vancouver transit strike enters 2nd day

Metro Vancouver buses and the SeaBus will remain out of service on Tuesday as a strike by public transit workers enters its second day.

More than 180 workers with CUPE Local 4500 walked off the job early Monday morning as part of a 48-hour strike.

Union representatives have been calling for a new collectiveagreement, citing concerns over wage discrepancy between Coast Mountain Bus Company (CMBC) transit supervisorsand other supervisors in the transit system.

TransLink says none of the routes operated by CMBC are running during the job action, but regular service is expected to resume on Wednesday.

The union said its members will return to work as of 3a.m. PT, Wednesday, but with the continuation of anovertime ban that was put in place Jan. 6.

WATCH | Commuters struggle to get around Metro Vancouver on Monday:

Strike action halts Vancouver buses for 48 hours

7 months ago

Duration 1:53

Vancouvers bus system has been shut down by a 48-hour strike. The citys SkyTrain was still running, but commuters faced major headaches getting around the city.

The SkyTrain, West Coast Express, HandyDART, West Vancouver Blue Bus, and community shuttles in Langley and Bowen Island are not affected by the strike.

However, CUPE representative Liam O'Neill said Monday that the union is looking to further escalate job action.

Talks between the union and CMBCover the weekend, conducted with the assistance of veteran labour mediator Vince Ready, failed to produce a new collective agreement, according to O'Neill.

The union said on Tuesday morning there was no update about negotiations resuming, while CMBCalso confirmed no negotiations were expected.

"Coast Mountain Bus Company continues to be ready and willing to return to the negotiating table and urges the union to end their job action and return as well," said the company in a release to CBC News.

On Monday, B.C. Minister of Labour Harry Bains urged both sides to get back to collective agreement discussions.

"Not having transit service is a huge challenge for the people who rely on transit," he said.

"We know the pathway for resolving this dispute. That is the parties have to work out their differences at the bargaining table. It is theirresponsibility to make a deal and I urge them to get back to the table as quickly as possible."

Bains saidthe province is considering assigning a special mediator to the labour dispute but only if the two sides agree.