HandyDart Strike Update

"HandyDart workers have concluded their ten week strike with binding arbitration. This group is for all those who want to build on the unity that was born in struggle and move forward. The sacrificees that clients and workers alike have made will only be worthwhile if we continue the fight. MVT Bus Company, an American for profit company is still at the helm. Transportation for people with disabilities is a right, not charity. It is time that all workers unite against the 'public dollars to private corporations' tidal wave!"

FacebookI HandyDart Workers Support Group

SNOWED UNDER

That's right we have been overwhelmed by Government, Translink (with an appointed board instead of elected officials) and all who told us they could not interfere, THEY COULD! HERE IS WHY-READ OUR LETTER BELOW.

Premier Campbell,

Further to our letter of December 24, 2009 we have since found new
information that states Translink, now a creature of your
making, has had the legal ability to make alternative arrangements to resume
full service of HandyDART.

"[...]
Article 11.1 of the contract clearly states:
"If the Service Provider or its employees fail in the due performance of any
part of this Agreement, Translink may make such arrangements as are
considered necessary to provide the Services that are the subject of this
Agreement."
[...]
All the main elements of the service are ready in place, like professional
drivers, professional schedulers and other office support staff, road
supervisors, trainers, Translink's own HandyDART buses and $1.00/year
leaseholds. Translink can make any necessary arrangement with these main
elements to provide the full service according the contract. Not much left,
but the rest is up to Translink's agent, Coast Mountain Bus Company Ltd.,
appointed in article 8.5 of the contract "to administer the Operating
Agreement on behalf of Translink and to perform all obligations of Translink
under the Operating Agreement". The buses will be on the road in a few days
resuming full service."

http://www.facebook.com/n/?topic.php&topic=13417&post=71358&uid=308711650295&mid=19fab2bG5af32d43e748G13c14bG21#post71358

Clearly as the maker of this new Translink, you can instruct Translink to
stop taking sides, dismiss the MVT Canada Bus Co. Inc., and implement
Article 11 of the contract. In this way you can alleviate the present
suffering of thousands of people who must use HandyDART.

We reserve the right to CC.

Elizabeth and John Beeching
Two HandyDART users

Council Of Senior Citizens Organization COSCO News

Council Of Senior Citizens Organization representing 75+ Senior Organizations and numerous associates had the following in their last News

COSCO calls on TransLink to step in and help restore HandyDart services
The intransigence of an American for profit contractor has unneccessarily lengthened a strike by HandyDART employees, and is disrulting the lives of seniors and people with disabilities, the Council Of Senior Citizens Organization of BC (COSCO) said today.

"While MVT's negotiators have gone back to California, thousands of men and women who depend on HandyDart to get to medical appointments and pick up their groceries are virtually trapped in their homes", said Lorraine Logan, Chair of COSCO's Transporation Committee.

A strike by HandyDART workers, members of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1724 began Oct. 26 following ten months of unsuccessful negotiations. The American contractor hired by TransLink - MVT bus - says the drivers, office staff and maintenance workers must agree to give up their pention plan before it will return to the table. [soething that they wanted for many years took five rears to negotiate. JB]

"It's time for TransLink to get involved and help restore this service," said Logan. "TranslLnk is responsible for HandyDART. It can't duck its responsibility to seniors and people with disabilities by signing a contract with an American corporation."

"It is evident in the work they do, and the personal assistance they provide to their clients, that HandyDART drivers care deeply about the people they serve. They have also made a very unusual offer by proposing binding arbitration to settle the contract. This would immediately get the service back in operation," she said.

"Seniors with disabilities, and HandyDart workers are saying it's time to get the buses back on the road. The for profit contractor says no. And while thousands of individuals struggle to get around and keep their lives together, TransLink is hiding behind a wall of silence. It's time for that silence to end."

Under a picture of a "walk" sign the article says, "HandyDART users have been left with nowhere to turn - and walking isn't an option. It's time for TransLink to step in and help end the dispute."

[appolofgies for any typos. I tried to catch them all. This blogC site does not allow a 'select and paste' system. It has taken me almost two hours to type this blog out! JB]

BC Lower mainland HandyDART strike

HandyDART strike:

Update

Talks between union and company have been opened.

Warning

Even if there is a resolution the complaints of both workers and HandyDART users will remain. Government and Translink are both following their own agenda, at present a hands off approach.

HandyDART employees support group have placed a petition in facebook

We are not able to hit the streets to petition. Our dissabilities and weather prevent it.

We are therefore as two handyDART users using this method to publicize the petition.

We ask you to read it and then if you agree please sign it. The URL is; -

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/nomorecontractingouthandydart/

Two HandyDART users

Elizabeth and John