Metro Vancouver's last transit strike lasted a record-breaking 123 days

Metro Vancouver's last bus driver strike thelongest transit strike in the province lasted 123 days before the province passed legislation to get buses rolling again.

The 2001 stoppage forced commuters, who grew increasingly frustrated as the strike stretched on,to carpool, walk, cycle or even hitch rides to get around the region.

Now Metro Vancouveris facing the possibilityof a similar strike, as bus drivers voted Thursday to walk off the job if they and their employer can't hammer out a new contract.

The two union locals involved in the strike vote Unifor Local 111 and 2200 have been without a contract since March 31.

• Metro Vancouver bus drivers vote 99% in favour of strike mandate

Representatives said the new contract needs to address hiring more drivers, improving wages, reducing overcrowding on buses and providing longer breaks for workers.

Uniforrepresents 5,000 workers at the Coast Mountain Bus Company, including bus drivers, SeaBus workers and maintenance staff in Metro Vancouver.

In 2001, 3,500 workers went on strike on April 1. Workersrefused to drive Coast Mountain's fleet of 1,100 busesafter the two sides couldnot agreeon a new collective agreement.

Coast Mountain initially offered an eight per cent wage increase over three years to $22.70 per hour, while the union wanted an 18 per cent increase over three years to $23.36 per hour.

The two sides also struggled tofind common ground on contracting out and the use of part-timedrivers.

'Alot of walking'

SkyTrain service continued throughout the 2001 strike, but the bus stoppage wasa hardship for many people, including seniors like Dora Preston. She told the CBC at the time that she was forced to walk dozens of blocks to attend social functions in Vancouver.

Watch protesters explain how the 2001 strike affected them:

From the archives: resident hardship during the 2001 Metro Vancouver bus strike

5 years ago

Duration 0:21

Protesters at the Vancouver Art Gallery in 2001 explain how a months-long bus strike affected them.

"That's a lot of walking," she told CBC News in 2001, adding she also paid her neighbours to give her rides.

Harold Stickland was 82 when the strike began. His budget took a hit after shelling out for taxis to getto medical appointments.

"I believe in miracles," he told CBCNews at the time. "And there could be a miracle that the strike could be short, but we'll see."

The strike did not end quicklyand, as it stretched out,frustration grew. In July 2001, people gathered at the Vancouver Art Gallery to call for an end to the strike.

Many people focused their wrath on George Puil, a Vancouver councillor who was alsothe chair ofTransLink. A load ofmanure was dumped on the front lawn of his home.

Watch George Puil recount the strike in an interview with CBC News in 2006:

From the archives: former Translink chair George Puil recounts 2001 bus strike

5 years ago

Duration 0:17

Puil received death threats over the work stoppage and had manure dumped on the lawn of his residence.

Residents weren't the only people affected by the strike;many businessesaround the region reported a loss of revenue.

• Legislation ends Vancouver bus strike

Finally in early August, with talks stalled, then labour minister Graham Bruce announced legislationforcing workers back on the job.

He imposed a settlement of wage increases of 8.5 per cent for drivers and mechanics over three years, plus a $1,000 signing bonus.

The issue of part-time employees was sent to mediation.

The last significant service disruptionhad been 17 years earlier, when transit workers were off the job for three months in 1984 before they were legislated back to work, according to a report published in 2008 by TransLink.

TransLink's system has dramatically increased in size and usesince the last strike, nearly 20 years ago.

At the time of the 2001 strike, TransLinkhad about230 million trips each year.In 2018, there were 436 million trips taken on bus, SeaBus, SkyTrainand theWest Coast Express.