MoveUP Ready to Work for Transit Referendum Success

December 18, 2014

For Immediate Release

December 18, 2014

BURNABY – Today the B.C. government announced they have approved the Mayors’ Transportation and Transit Plan to proceed to referendum. The Canadian Office and Professional Employees Union Local 378 (MoveUP), which represents 643 Coast Mountain Bus and TransLink employees, is excited to finally be able to move forward to an official campaign to secure the sustainable funding our Lower Mainland transit system desperately needs.

“This vote is about improving our regional transit and transportation system and that’s important to our members,” said MoveUP Vice-President Heather Lee, “The need for adequate funding for transit is something our members who work in the system see every day, as well as our other members who rely on the system to get around Metro Vancouver.”

“But more than that, the success of this referendum is important to all working people because it will cut congestion on our roads and bring benefits to our regional economy, our environment, and our quality of life,” added Lee.

MoveUP is proud to join with numerous other unions, business associations, environmental groups, and community groups as part of the Better Transit and Transportation Coalition. The coalition is spearheading the campaign for a “Yes” vote.

“MoveUP knew we could not sit on the sidelines for this. Rejecting the plan would throw our region into a quagmire from which it would take years to recover. Our region can’t afford that,” added MoveUP President David Black.

MoveUP represents 643 members at TransLink and Coast Mountain Bus Company working in IT, dispatch, office support and administration, security, customer service, operator training and more.

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Contact: Jarrah Hodge, jhodge@moveuptogether.ca, 604-790-0487