Metro Vancouver bus drivers to be part of Phase 2 COVID-19 vaccine rollout

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VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — Dealing with pay issues brought on by the recent hack of TransLink, on top of sometimes unruly riders refusing to wear masks, front-line transit staff in Metro Vancouver are being given some good news.

UNIFOR Local 111 President Balbir Mann says he’s been informed his members will be part of a Phase 2 COVID-19 vaccine rollout.

RELATED: Bus drivers’ pay coming up short after TransLink hack: union

“Basically we’ve been told spring of 2021, either the end of February, March the second phase of the vaccination will begin. And we are up with the health care workers, police and first responders,” Mann tells NEWS 1130.

The head of the Bus Driver’s Union says his members are going to welcome the news.

“It’s just a few months down the road, and I think we should be ok. (There are) people who are 80-years old, and all those people are the priority. But we’re right up there with the police and health care workers,” notes Mann.

Transit employees are classified as essential workers, meaning they’ve continued to work through the pandemic.

RELATED: B.C. health-care workers to get first doses of COVID-19 vaccine

Mann says being given priority for the new COVID-19 shots comes as transit operators continue to feel the stress of the job.

“There are still members of our ridership…they don’t wear a mask, which is sad. It’s mandatory. You know, we all should do our part,” said Mann.

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