Liberals accuse NDP of doing absolutely nothing to help resolve transit strike – CityNews Vancouver

VICTORIA (NEWS 1130) The impending transit strike has taken top billing in Question Period in Victoria on Tuesday.

Its no surprise that things got political in B.C.s capital, as Liberal Leader Andrew Wilkinson accused Labour Minister Harry Bains and the province of doing absolutely nothing to resolve the ongoing dispute.

Can we hear from anyone on the government ranks who has an idea of what they are going to do tomorrow rather than sit in their offices and watch television, Wilkinson said.

Liberal Jane Thornthwaite also took jabs at the B.C. NDP as the clock continued to tick while workers and students scramble for back up plans.

What message does the minister have to the thousands of students who wont be able to get to class tomorrow morning? she said, to which someone in the Legislature responded with: Call an Uber.

Bains has maintained that outside interference, like a mediator, is not the solution.

Holding firm that collective barganing is the path to a deal, Bains said that is a process the Opposition has shown they do not respect.

It is really sad that the Opposition are trying to score cheap political points at the expense of the labour dispute, Bains said. They know the dispute will be resolved at the bargaining table and the parties are at the bargaining table. It will be resolved and Im fully hopeful.

He added that he remains hopeful a deal will be reached before transit screeches to halt after midnight.

Im more optimistic than that party over there is ever going to be when it comes to collective bargaining, Bains said of the Liberals.

Still, the minister said he understands how stressful this situation can be for transit users, and said TransLink and the union do too which is why they are back at the bargaining table.

The union representing bus and SeaBus workers, joined by their national president, sat down with Coast Mountain Bus Company and TransLink on Tuesday to try and hammer out a deal.

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Liberals accuse NDP of doing absolutely nothing to help resolve transit strike - CityNews Vancouver

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