“Dexterra is creating unsafe conditions for both riders and workers”: SEIU Local 2 makes its voice heard at TransLink Board Meeting

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Dexterra Group cleaning contractor employing workers at the Greater Vancouver SkyTrain line are falling short and TransLink needs to take action, said SEIU Local 2 at a TransLink Board Meeting today.

“Employees are routinely assigned responsibility for cleaning four to six stations during a single shift. Despite these already excessive workloads, supervisors continue to assign additional duties,” said Lenna McVeety, Lead Hand and SEIU Local 2 member in her remarks at the Board Meeting. “Workers deserve a safe workplace, adequate staffing, and respectful treatment. These concerns require immediate attention before a serious incident occurs.”

At the Board Meeting, SEIU Local 2 representatives raised concerns about labour violations like bullying and harassment, an inability on the part of Dexterra to maintain standards, forcing workers to clean the yellow line while the train is operating, and inadequate staffing levels. These issues, the union says, are worsened in the context of the FIFA World Cup which is seeing a dramatic increase in riders.

“Let’s be clear: Dexterra’s modus operandi is to undercut companies who follow the law, and then get rich on public money,” said Kayla Hilstob, SEIU Local 2 researcher at the Board Meeting, noting Dexterra made over $1-billion in revenue last year.

Consequently, SEIU Local 2 is calling on TransLink to take action. The union is requesting a meeting with TransLink’s CEO Kevin Quinn to hear its concerns and to commit to ensuring the SkyTrain is safe for workers and riders. The union is calling on TransLink to hold Dexterra accountable to its contractual obligations – and, failing that, to terminate its contract with Dexterra.

For more information, contact:

Daniel Tseghay | Media Contact, SEIU Local 2
dtseghay@seiulocal2.ca | 403-605-5906