Striking Chilliwack bus driver Richard McManus told the crowd at Five Corners Wednesday that being without a contract from employer First Transit for three years has pushed everyone to the breaking point.

The transit workers of CUPE 561 are fighting for fair wages and a pension.

鈥淲e care deeply about the communities we serve,鈥� McManus shouted above the din. 鈥淲e are here now on strike because this job is no longer sustainable. Without a fair contract, many members will be seeking opportunities elsewhere.

McManus has been a bus driver and trainer for nine years and said he loves his job. He and his co-workers kept buses running 鈥渁s much as possible鈥� in the Eastern Fraser Valley through the trials and tribulations of the pandemic, flooding, and heat dome.

鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 matter what was thrown at us we kept showing up and doing our jobs.鈥�

But now without a contract, and without their employer doing anything to restart negotiations, they have their backs against the wall.

鈥淲e all have our breaking point,鈥� McManus said. 鈥淭his company has now pushed us to that point. We demand to be treated fairly.鈥�

The rally is part of strike action by CUPE 561 members that has suspended all bus service from Abbotsford to Hope since March 20, with the exception of essential services for HandyDART passengers in Abbotsford and Mission for renal, MS, or cancer appointments.

Abbotsford bus driver and trainer Elizabeth Roux said they deserve to earn comparable wages, not being paid 32 per cent less than other transit drivers doing the exact same job in other neighbouring Metro Vancouver communities.

鈥淪o people in the community have been asking why now, why are we disrupting their lives?鈥� Roux said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 taken many years for us to get fed up to the point of going on strike because we never wanted to take bus service away from the communities.鈥�

The transit drivers never wanted to see it go this far, she said adding: 鈥淲e gave the company so many opportunities to treat us fairly and they pushed us to this point.鈥�

The rally attracted a boisterous crowd of more than 100, mainly union members who showed up in solidarity to make some noise, wave flags and signs at passing traffic.

The union has been on full strike since March 20, before which they engaged in several three-day shut-downs and other job actions, including not collecting fares.

The affected communities are Abbotsford, Mission, Chilliwack, Agassiz, Harrison Hot Springs and Hope.

鈥淎lmost a month later, there is no end in sight with this employer because they refuse to come to the table with a fair deal,鈥� CUPE BC president Karen Ranalletta said.

鈥淎nd we鈥檙e standing out here today on the Five Corners so that the public can see that we are ready to keep fighting and we will keep at it for as long as it takes.鈥�

The Metro Vancouver region鈥檚 transit is run by Translink, a Crown corporation, while the Eastern Fraser Valley is sub-contracted out to First Transit.

CUPE 561 represents approximately 210 First Transit employees, including drivers, mechanics, utility people and bus washers.

Also this week, a hearing should be held in B.C. Supreme Court with the union responding to a civil claim filed by the First Transit, which claims workers are committing 鈥渦nlawful acts鈥� during picketing.

First Transit alleges that union members have been obstructing vehicles and people from entering and leaving bus yards in Abbotsford and Chilliwack, and that they have 鈥渋ntimidated, coerced, threatened, harassed and interfered with鈥� their employees, contractors and others.

A CUPE spokesperson told Black Press Monday that the union would not comment other than to say that they dispute the claims.

鈥淥ur members are engaged in peaceful picketing as they are entitled to do under the Charter,鈥� the spokesperson, who asked not to be named, said via email.

鈥淭hese allegations by First Transit have not been decided upon by the court.鈥�

The company is seeking an interim and permanent injunction, as well as general and special damages.

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