West Vancouver bus drivers cancel plans to escalate job action

West Vancouver bus drivers cancelled job actionWednesday that had threatened to send commuters scrambling for alternative transportation the following day.

The union said ithad reached an agreement with the District of West Vancouver to reach a new collective agreement through binding arbitration.

In a statement, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 134 presidentCornel Neagu said the union was callingoffrotating strikes and bans on both overtime and uniforms starting Thursday.

"Public pressure has helped us get our employer to accept the union's arbitration offer," Neagu said.

Local 134 represents 150 drivers, mechanics and cleaners who work for West Vancouver Transit, also known asBlue Bus.

Both Blue Bus and Coast Mountain are TransLink contractors running conventional and shuttle bus services.

But the union claimed thatdespite doing the same work, Blue Bus drivers only make about $27 hourly compared to $30 for Coast Mountain drivers.

Prior to agreeing to binding arbitration, the districttold CBC it hadmade fair offers to Local 134 workers, includingproposals to close the wage gap.