The president of the union local for B.C. HandyDART workers says a withdrawal of the transit service in Metro Vancouver is 害羞草研究所渋mminent害羞草研究所� as it prepares to serve a 72-hour strike notice.

Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1724 president Joe McCann says members voted down a final contract offer by employer Transdev Canada by an 害羞草研究所渙verwhelming害羞草研究所� margin.

McCann says there害羞草研究所檚 still hope for the union and the employer to reach a deal at the bargaining table, but 83 per cent of members voted down the offer after meetings over the weekend and on Monday.

McCann says HandyDART workers want wage parity with other transit staff in the region, and there害羞草研究所檚 a 害羞草研究所渂ig disparity.害羞草研究所�

He says escalating job action wasn害羞草研究所檛 effectively pressuring Transdev Canada, and a full work stoppage would still mean that HandyDART users in need of certain medical treatments would be able to book rides with the door-to-door service.

Stacy Patenaude, vice-president of communications and public affairs at Transdev Canada, says in an emailed statement that the firm is 害羞草研究所渄isappointed this matter isn害羞草研究所檛 resolved害羞草研究所� and it害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所渁ssessing next steps.害羞草研究所�

McCann says it害羞草研究所檚 unfortunate users will be inconvenienced, but Transdev Canada 害羞草研究所� a private firm contracted by TransLink to operate the accessible bus service 害羞草研究所� has indicated that it believes HandyDART workers 害羞草研究所渄on害羞草研究所檛 deserve the same wages as a public company.害羞草研究所�

He says the union believes the service should be taken out of private hands and no longer operated by a for-profit company because of the expected 害羞草研究所渢sunami害羞草研究所� of riders who will need the service in the long term as demographics change.