by Anne Galloway vtdigger.org Burlington area bus drivers are scheduled to go on strike March 17. Members of the drivers’ union, Teamsters Local 597, voted 54-0 on Wednesday to reject the latest offer from the Chittenden County Transit Authority. CCTA has 68 drivers; all are in the union.
During the strike, there will be no CCTA service: All local and LINK routes operated by CCTA bus drivers would no longer be available. LINK services to Montpelier would be limited to five trips a day and Hinesburg would be limited to two.
The bus drivers say they have been treated unfairly by the management of CCTA. They object to videocameras on buses and at the central worksite; changes to “physical access to breaks while on duty”; and proposals to expand time between split work shifts that already span 12.5 hours. The union also claims that CCTA wants to hire more part-time workers. CCTA’s proposal features a reduction in the number of part-time drivers from 13 to seven drivers. There is currently one part-time driver on staff.
Rob Slingerland, a spokesman for the strike, says drivers want a “fair” contract that “treats drivers with respect, avoids increasing driver fatigue and creates livable jobs.”
“The drivers can’t live under the terms of management’s last proposal,” Slingerland wrote in an email statement. “That’s why it was voted down in such a big way.”
Bill Watterson, general manager of CCTA, says the company has offered to resolve differences with the union through binding arbitration, which he describes as a “neutral dispute resolution process.” Binding arbitration would allow an independent arbiter to decide how the outstanding issues should be resolved.
“We’re disappointed the union has voted to strike. Disrupting service would impose an extraordinary burden on many Vermonters,” said Watterson. “Our most recent offer – which included generous pay increases and flexibility in work rules – was exceedingly fair, reasonable and respectful. CCTA is hopeful the union will reconsider its decision to strike and agree to binding arbitration.”
Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger sent this statement Thursday afternoon regarding the impending strike:
“The continued inability of CCTA management and the bus drivers' Union to reach agreement on a fair contract is of great concern to me and many people in and around Burlington. In the event of a bus service interruption, Burlingtonians will be impacted. Many of the City’s school children will have difficulty getting to class, and individuals who rely on bus service to get to work and reach other Burlington destinations will face major transportation challenges.
"The harm that will result from a service interruption can still – and we hope will – be avoided," Weinberger stated. "I continue to call on both parties to do everything possible to avoid what would be an unfortunate outcome. While the parties have been unable to reach agreement despite repeated negotiations over a long period of time, I am encouraged by the prospect that the parties may engage in binding arbitration. This process is one the City of Burlington has used on occasion and is generally seen as a fair and substantive process for resolving contract disputes. For the good of the thousands of people who rely on CCTA service, I urge acceptance of this binding arbitration proposal or for the parties to identify and agree to some other viable option to resolve this dispute, thereby avoidinga damaging interruption of bus service.”
Slingerland says when management offers a “decent contract, one that respects the drivers, then we are ready to accept it.”
Watterson says the work week for drivers is 40 hours. Management proposed to lengthen the time between shifts to 13.5 hours instead of 12.5 hours. Workers put in four hours in the morning and in the evening to provide service during commuting hours. Watterson said split shifts are standard in the industry.
The contract between drivers and CCTA expired on June 30, 2013.
Total compensation for bus drivers under the current, expired contract is $53,893 to $71,535 a year. The base salary is $42,494; CCTA offered to boost the base salary to $45,000. The proposal also included $1,500 cash bonuses to drivers who have worked at CCTA for 15 years or more.
CCTA drivers are the second highest paid in New England, according to Watterson.
The last bargaining session, which lasted 19 hours, was held on Saturday and Sunday. No negotiations have been scheduled.
The Teamsters also threatened to strike in 2010.
PHOTO: Bus stop in Williston courtesy CCTA