Unifor Local 111 represents over 4600 Metro Vancouver Transit Operators. We operate a fleet of over 1400 vehicles across the Lower Mainland including electric trolley buses, CNG-powered buses, diesel-hybrid buses, diesel buses, and community shuttles.
Our History
1890
Streetcars began operating in the Lower Mainland. It wasn’t too long before we realized we needed to organize as workers, and we unionized under The Amalgamated Association of Street, Electrical Railway and Motor Coach Employees of America.
1899
Division 101 (Vancouver) received its charter for related workers.
1901
(New Westminster) Division 134 was established and given its charter.
1964
Our international union changed it’s name to the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) and our separate Divisions 101 and 134 were amalgamated in 1968 to become Division 101-134.
September 20, 1980
A few dedicated workers participated in founding the Independent Canadian Transit Union (ICTU) in Vancouver.
Our first attempt at certification with ICTU and away from ATU failed due to our own naivete and the tactics employed by the international union.
January 18, 1982
We were successful in joining ICTU and received our first certification as part of ICTU Local 1, our skilled trades and service members becoming a separate Local for the first time under ICTU Local 2.
A few years later, we left the amalgamated Local 1 and became Local 11.
February 18, 2000
We were certified as Local 111 of the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) Union.
August 31, 2013
On Labour Day Weekend 2013, the CAW joined with the CEP to become UNIFOR, the largest public sector Union in Canada.
