PRINCE GEORGE, BC – PWTransit Canada, operators of the Campbell River and Comox Valley Transit systems, is disappointed the tentative agreement reached with the Union’s bargaining committee on Tuesday, November 21st, and subsequently recommended by the committee for approval, was ultimately voted down by the members.
The tentative deal provided our employees with wage increases of 4.0% each year for three years, plus another 3.0% increase as of date of ratification (15.0% total over three years) in addition to improvements in fringe benefits and introduction of premiums for working evenings (past 8:00pm). The tentative agreement would have made our base conventional transit driver’s wage rate (of which the majority of our work is comprised) $30.51/hour, up from $28.48/hour and increasing to a rate of $33.00/hour by April 1st, 2025.
PWTransit Canada believes the tentative agreement was incredibly fair and, in fact, represents a higher guaranteed total% increase to wages than the BC Public Sector union employees received over a similar 3-year time period. Despite our disappointment with the result of the ratification vote, we remain committed to the process of bargaining a new agreement for our employees with their Union and will work to determine best next steps to achieve this as soon as possible.
Out of respect for the collective bargaining process, PWTransit will not comment any further on the matter at this time.
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Media Contact: Ted Flitton
Pacific Western Transportation (403) 371-4935