16 SeaBus sailings on Friday cancelled over transit strike

As the transit strike rolls on in Metro Vancouver, commuters who use the SeaBus as part of their daily routine are advised to prepare for some sailing cancellations – and potential delays as a result – on Friday.

TransLink announced that a total of 16 sailings are expected to be cancelled in both directions.

Here is the full list of cancelled sailings:

• The 6:17 am, 6:47 am, 4:10 pm, 6:47 pm, 7:17 pm, 7:47 pm, 8:17 pm, and 8:47 pm sailings from Lonsdale Quay will be cancelled
• The 6:31 am, 7:00 am, 4:25 pm, 7:01 pm, 7:31 pm, 8:01 pm, 8:31 pm, and 9:01 pm sailings from Waterfront will be cancelled

The news comes hours after the union announced that over 40 buses were cancelled Thursday because of the transit strike.

Encompassing nearly 5,000 employees, the first phase of labour action includes a uniform ban by transit operators and an overtime ban by maintenance workers.

• See also:
  • Escalating strike could test Metro Vancouver’s dependence on public transit
  • Transit union’s demands equivalent to 5 years of service expansion: CMBC head
  • Transit union demands will cost $608 million, employer says

The uniform ban means that bus drivers on all routes have stopped wearing the CMBC uniform, with the goal of increasing conversations and awareness of the ongoing negotiations.

The overtime ban means that CMBC technicians and skilled trades workers will refuse overtime shifts, which, according to Unifor, will “gradually increase pressure on the system.”

Last week, the union warned that if an agreement was not reached, the overtime ban could “quickly lead to fewer buses on the road and could also affect SeaBus service” due to a buildup in repairs and maintenance jobs.

All three SkyTrain lines, West Vancouver Blue Bus, West Coast Express, and HandyDART remain unaffected by the labour action.