Metro Vancouver outside workers begin full-scale strike with talks stalled

Metro Vancouver outside workers have escalated their job action to a full-scale strike after rotating pickets in the past few weeks.

Union spokesman Bill Tieleman says all member workers of the Greater Vancouver Regional District Employees’ Union walked off the job Monday with the exception of those designated as essential-service staff.

The union says it is asking residents in Metro Vancouver to consider avoiding 30 regional parks and greenways, since most district employees there will not be working.

The sites include Grouse Mountain Regional Park, the Grouse Grind trail, Pacific Spirit Park in Vancouver, Burnaby Lake Regional Park and others.

The last contract between Metro Vancouver and the workers expired in December 2024, and no talks are scheduled with the district saying it has offered possible restart dates without preconditions, while the union disputes the claim.

Metro Vancouver says in a statement that it offered 10 dates to restart talks last week and has suggested mediation as part of resuming talks, which it doesn't consider a precondition.

The union represents more than 700 workers covering operations in water and wastewater treatment, air quality tracking, natural resources, parks, infrastructure and ecological reserves across Metro Vancouver.

Union president Jesse Medeiros says workers will decide Monday if they continue the full-scale strike or will consider other job actions to restart talks.

“Our front-line service members have been without a contract for 17 months and they are fed up with Metro Vancouver management stalling and incompetence, so we unfortunately have to take this strong action to get them back to bargaining without preconditions,” he says in a statement.

Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck