The Central Okanagan could see its first transit strike in nearly six years.

Unionized 91大黄鸭 transit drivers have voted 97 per cent in favour to approve a strike vote, if necessary, to back their contract demands.

鈥淲e took a strike vote last night (Aug. 28), said Al Peressini, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1722.

鈥淲e鈥檝e been negotiating since February with First Transit and they haven鈥檛 brought us any money until just last week, and it was well below anything so we didn鈥檛 even take that to the membership.鈥�

Peressini told Capital News one of the biggest issues is that the transit system in the Central Okanagan needs more funding.

鈥淭he company can鈥檛 hire and retain professional, reliable workers,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey can鈥檛 afford to live here.鈥�

Right now they鈥檙e averaging about 50 per cent of the people they train stay, added Peressini.

Once hired, drivers are not guaranteed hours, have no benefits, and work as needed, on call. Once trained and certified with a Class 2 licence and air ticket, Peressini said many drivers leave.

鈥淭hey go and find other driving jobs where they鈥檙e guaranteed 40 hours (a week), and benefits. So we鈥檙e after a living wage for our members.鈥�

Peressini added because of a driver shortage many routes are not being covered properly or at all.

鈥淭o me that鈥檚 wrong,鈥� he said. 鈥淎 company is hired to provide a service, yet they aren鈥檛 providing the service.鈥�

Although drivers have voted to approve a strike vote, it doesn鈥檛 mean they will necessarily walk off the job.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 our last resort,鈥� explained Peressini. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 want to disrupt service for customers. 鈥淭he area is growing and transit should be growing to meet the demand, but the private company is not doing it.鈥�

Drivers have been without a contract since March this year. The last transit strike in the Central Okanagan was 2016.

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gary.barnes@kelownacapnews.com
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