Update on possible Metro Vancouver transit strike

Yesterday, CUPE Local 4500, a union representing 180 Coast Mountain Bus Company Transit Supervisors, announced they intend to escalate labour action to shut down bus service across Metro Vancouver beginning at 3am on Monday, January 22.

This potential job action may result in a full-scale shut down of bus and SeaBus services for at least 48 hours. It would not affect SkyTrain, Canada Line, HandyDART, West Coast Express and other contracted services, which should continue to operate.

Given the potential for developments over the weekend, we will not know whether job action is happening until 3am on Monday. In the event of confirmed job action, UBC will post a status update and guidance on https://www.ubc.ca at 6am on Monday.

As a precaution, you are encouraged to have conversations within your department about planning, and how this might affect your students, faculty and staff. We plan to share the following guidance later today on https://www.ubc.ca:

• Students: Check for communications from your instructor.
• Faculty: Contact your department head, school director, or dean, as appropriate.
• Staff: Speak to your supervisor regarding the potential to work remotely if operationally feasible, or if you are concerned about getting to campus/arriving late.

The Office of the Provost and Vice-President, Academic, UBC Vancouver, will provide guidance on teaching and learning activities shortly. We will also provide further updates on Monday, once we have confirmation of whether the job action is going ahead.

For up-to-date information on transit operations, check https://alerts.translink.ca

Bhushan Gopaluni
Vice-Provost and Associate Vice-President, Faculty Planning