14 SeaBus sailings are cancelled today due to transit strike

Those who normally rely on the SeaBus as part of their commute are being advised to give themselves more time and prepare for delays this afternoon, as transit workers proceed with the first phase of job action.

On Friday morning, TransLink spokesperson Jill Drews confirmed with Daily Hive that 14  SeaBus sailings will be cancelled today.

The cancellations mean that the 10-minute frequency of sailings during rush-hour will be scaled back to every 15 minutes, she explained.

The cancellations come after talks between Coast Mountain Bus Company and the union representing TransLink’s bus drivers and SeaBus workers broke off on Thursday and the first phase of job action began this morning.

• See also:
  • SFU and UBC warn of campus transit disruptions as job action proceeds
  • TransLink and SeaBus workers to officially begin strike actions this morning
  • Transit negotiations in Vancouver have broken off: union

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

The uniform ban entails that bus drivers on all routes will stop wearing the CMBC uniform, with the goal of increasing conversations and awareness of the ongoing negotiations with passengers.

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.”

On Thursday, 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.