A strike looms on Monday morning if a last-minute deal with unionized transit supervisors isn’t reached. Here’s the latest
According to TransLink data, only about 25 per cent of journeys on transit don’t involve a bus.Photo by NICK PROCAYLO /PNG
The union representing transit supervisors at Coast Mountain Bus Company filed an application with the Labour Relations Board of B.C. on Sunday to expand job action that would effectively shut down the SkyTrain, in addition to buses and the SeaBus, starting at 3 a.m. on Monday, Postmedia has learned.
An application filed with the B.C. Labour Relations Board by CUPE Local 4500, which is currently involved in last-minute negotiations with CMBC to avoid a strike, seeks to picket SkyTrain stations and operations and maintenance centres, among others.
Redirecting riders to other public transit services reduces disruption for riders, the application notes.“Less disruption for public transit riders means less public pressure on the Employer to settle the contract.”
The union representing SkyTrain workers sent a memo to members on Sunday saying they should not cross any picket lines outside SkyTrain stations or facilities.
“If a picket line is set up at any of our locations, we will not cross and SkyTrain will not run,” said Tony Rebelo, president of CUPE Local 7000, which represents rapid transit and railworkers.
Rebelo called the total shutdown of the SkyTrain on Monday a “reality” but stressed that parties were still at the negotiating table.
“We’re just preparing our members for the worst,” he said.
By 5 p.m. on Sunday, there was no word of a deal.
In a statement published on TransLink’s website, CMBC president Michael McDaniel said the company would make no further comments while negotiations were underway.
Greg Taylor, a spokesperson for Local 4500, said the same.
“The parties have returned to mediation,” he said. “That’s the only comment we can make while they’re in mediation.”
Other transit unions expressed their support for Local 4500.
ATU Local 134, which represents transit workers in West Vancouver and are not employed by CMBC, announced on Saturday its members would not cross picket lines at the West Vancouver transit depot.
Unifor 111 and 2200, which represents transit operators and support workers, have said they won’t cross picket lines.
Job action by Local 4500 started on Jan. 6 with a ban on overtime. Last Thursday, the union representing transit supervisors announced plans for its 180 members to walk off the job for two days starting Monday at 3 a.m., effectively suspending bus and SeaBus service. Members voted 100 per cent in favour of a strike.
At a news conference Thursday, union spokesman Liam O’Neill said the organization’s members have been waiting for more than four weeks for a response to their latest proposal to CMBC.
“Our patience for Coast Mountain to take bargaining and our issues seriously has been exhausted,” he said. “Our members deserve a fair deal.”
According to figures provided by Coast Mountain, the union is asking for a 25-per-cent increase for transit supervisors, which would bring their annual salary to $115,477 after three years from the current $92,400. The company said it is offering workers a 13.5-per-cent wage hike to $104,886 after three years.
According to TransLink data, only about 25 per cent of journeys on transit don’t involve a bus, with about 338,000 journeys per day on bus alone, 232,000 journeys per day with a transfer between bus and SkyTrain, and 5,400 journeys per day with a transfer between bus and another mode of transit, such as HANDYDART.— With file from Glenda Luymes
TORONTO – Cineplex Inc. reported a loss in its latest quarter compared with a profit a year ago as it was hit by a fine for deceptive marketing practices imposed by the Competition Tribunal.
The movie theatre company says it lost $24.7 million or 39 cents per diluted share for the quarter ended Sept. 30 compared with a profit of $29.7 million or 40 cents per diluted share a year earlier.
The results in the most recent quarter included a $39.2-million provision related to the Competition Tribunal decision, which Cineplex is appealing.
The Competition Bureau accused the company of misleading theatregoers by not immediately presenting them with the full price of a movie ticket when they purchased seats online, a view the company has rejected.
Revenue for the quarter totalled $395.6 million, down from $414.5 million in the same quarter last year, while theatre attendance totalled 13.3 million for the quarter compared with nearly 15.7 million a year earlier.
Box office revenue per patron in the quarter climbed to $13.19 compared with $12 in the same quarter last year, while concession revenue per patron amounted to $9.85, up from $8.44 a year ago.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2024.
TORONTO – Restaurant Brands International Inc. reported net income of US$357 million for its third quarter, down from US$364 million in the same quarter last year.
The company, which keeps its books in U.S. dollars, says its profit amounted to 79 cents US per diluted share for the quarter ended Sept. 30 compared with 79 cents US per diluted share a year earlier.
Revenue for the parent company of Tim Hortons, Burger King, Popeyes and Firehouse Subs, totalled US$2.29 billion, up from US$1.84 billion in the same quarter last year.
Consolidated comparable sales were up 0.3 per cent.
On an adjusted basis, Restaurant Brands says it earned 93 cents US per diluted share in its latest quarter, up from an adjusted profit of 90 cents US per diluted share a year earlier.
The average analyst estimate had been for a profit of 95 cents US per share, according to LSEG Data & Analytics.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 5, 2024.
ST. JOHN’S, N.L. – Fortis Inc. reported a third-quarter profit of $420 million, up from $394 million in the same quarter last year.
The electric and gas utility says the profit amounted to 85 cents per share for the quarter ended Sept. 30, up from 81 cents per share a year earlier.
Fortis says the increase was driven by rate base growth across its utilities, and strong earnings in Arizona largely reflecting new customer rates at Tucson Electric Power.
Revenue in the quarter totalled $2.77 billion, up from $2.72 billion in the same quarter last year.
On an adjusted basis, Fortis says it earned 85 cents per share in its latest quarter, up from an adjusted profit of 84 cents per share in the third quarter of 2023.
The average analyst estimate had been for a profit of 82 cents per share, according to LSEG Data & Analytics.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 5, 2024.
