An Abbotsford politician has weighed in on the escalating job action taken by Fraser Valley transit employees.
Bruce Banman, Liberal MLA for Abbotsford-South, posted a video on his Instagram account this week pushing the premiere to step into the matter. In it, he is filmed stepping off a bus marked “Not in Service” and walks toward the camera.
He is not in Abbotsford in the video, but in front of Parliament in Victoria.
“We’ve been through this before with the Sea-to-Sky and it took 123 days for David Eby to figure this out and sort it out. This NDP government says they’re in favour of unions. yet they make them, force them to go on strike. I don’t understand it.”
He urged viewers to call Eby and insist he settles the strike, while pointing at the camera before walking off screen.
In the Sea-to-Sky region, a six-month-long strike over unfair wages was settled after mediator Vince Ready was brought in to work with Unifor and the employer, PW Transit.
The BC Liberals issued a news release on Thursday, the first day of the three-day strike in the Fraser Valley. Buses aren’t running in Abbotsford, Mission, Chilliwack, Agassiz and Harrison Hot Springs, or Hope.
MLA Trevor Halford, BC Liberal shadow minister for transit, also called on the NDP government to take decisive action to bring an end to the strike.
“The Fraser Valley is a disaster zone today for commuters as bus services in Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Hope, Mission and the Fraser Valley have come to a complete stop,” said Halford. “The strike is causing frustration and anger for those who rely on transit to get to school, to work, or to their medical appointments.”
Buses will be running again starting Sunday, March 12. However, if there is no deal soon, the union may go on indefinite strike beginning March 20.
READ MORE: Special mediator appointed after Sea-to-Sky transit workers vote to reject deal
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