HandyDART strike continues in Metro Vancouver as talks fail

Mediated talks between the union representingHandyDARTworkers in Metro Vancouver and its employer, Transdev, have broken off without an agreement following 15 hours of talks.

Joe McCann, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1724, saidthey stayed at the bargaining table with help from a mediator until 2 a.m. Friday and made "some progress."

However, he saidthe union negotiators didn't get an offer that they could recommend to the membership.

About 600 employees of the door-to-door transit service for people who can't navigate the conventional transit system have been on strike since Sept. 3, pausing service for all but essential medical trips for those with appointments for cancer, renal or multiple sclerosis treatments.

McCann askedHandyDARTusers to be "patient," since they are trying to get not only a fair contract for workers, but also a better service for customers.

The union presidentsaidin some ways they are close to an agreement, but in others they are "miles apart."

"Contractually, we've got some good language around shifts for relief shifts, report shifts, flex shifts for office workers and drivers," he told CBC News.

However, HandyDART workers have saidthey want wage parity with other para-transit workers in Canada.

"Our wages aren't high enough to attract and retain qualified experienced workers,"McCann said.

WATCH| HandyDART transit workers in Metro Vancouver begin strike:

HandyDART transit workers in Metro Vancouver begin strike

22 days ago

Duration 2:13

HandyDART workers in Metro Vancouver rallied outside Pacific Central Station on Tuesday. As Isaac Phan Nay reports, it's a start to job action that includes cutting service down to only essential rides.

He saidhe hopes the talks will resume next week.

The employer, Transdev, didn't reply to an interview request before publication. The company is based in France.

In a statement issued before the strike started, Transdev said its final offer, which was rejected by employees, represented a 19.2 per cent pay increase by January 2026.

McCann has previously said low wages make it difficult to attract and retain employees, and also called on the employers to address the contracting out of services to private taxi companies.