Well, so much for hoping that Chittenden County Transportation Authority drivers would soon get back behind the wheel.
While drivers on the picket lines on Friday said they had been told to plan to vote on a new contract today and were preparing to return to work by Monday, a marathon 17-hour bargaining session failed to yield an agreement between management and union representatives.
By Saturday morning, it had became clear that there would be no deal, no vote and no end in sight for the 71 union drivers — or for the students, workers and and other daily riders who have been forced to seek alternate transportation or found themselves stranded since drivers began striking earlier this month. Normally, the bus agency provides 9,700 rides a day.
“The mediator called it off because there was no forward movement,” driver spokesman Rob Slingerland said in a statement posted on the drivers’ website. “Negotiating team held strong as the company literally attacked everything! Not quite sure what the company is looking for but it sure looks like they aren’t caring too much about their ridership! They give, they take back, they give, they take back. Why are we even talking to them? So sad …… Going into 3rd week of walking the line and twice we met and they wanted it their way ….. as usual. Solidarity …….”
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Bus drivers and their supporters held another rally downtown today. At CCTA headquarters, officials say they had offered “significant compromises” and were able to reach a tentative agreement on one of the four remaining sticking points — how the agency handles complaints and uses security cameras on buses.
But they could not come to agreement with union leaders on issues including the length of drivers’ split shifts and their compensation. According to the Vermont Workers Center, drivers offered a compromise on allowing more part-time workers, which they have been against, but management “refused to budge” on other priorities.
No new negotiating sessions are scheduled. CCTA said it had offered union negotiators a complete contract proposal that it should put to a vote of membership. (Drivers unanimously rejected the last contract they voted on.) Alternately, CCTA said drivers owe them a counter offer.
“The union could choose to bring this complete contract proposal to the drivers to a vote, although it did not commit to doing so,” said the nonprofit bus agency, which get much of its revenue from state and local tax dollars. “CCTA hopes the union will elect to bring the most recent complete proposal to a vote in the interest of restoring service for our passengers as quickly as possible.”
Meanwhile, both sides are taking their case directly to the public. Drivers and their supporters set up a website rallying people to the picket lines, providing details on contract sticking points and encouraging financial donations. CCTA invited members of the public to a special meeting of its governing board Monday at 7:30 a.m. at the O’Brien Community Center in Winooski. The meeting notice said member of the public are welcome to “offer comments about CCTA’s services.”
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After over ten months of failed negotiations around non-monetary issues, it is time that the CCTA Board of Commissioners and Vermont elected officials take responsibility to act in the public interest, and move to end this strike by seeking new management.
It’s time for new management at CCTA: http://youpower.democracyforamerica.com/petitions/it-s-time-for-new-management-at-ccta
THIS IS SAD BECAUSE i USED TO RIDE THESE BUSES TO GET TO ALL MY APPOINTMENT’S AND TOO SEE THE DRIVER’S LOOSE FAITH IN MANY OF THIER PASENGER’S THEY PICK UP AND SEE EVERYDAY THAT’S SAID i HOPE THEY CAN COME TO SOME KIND OF AGREEMENT CAUSE IT MAKES IT HARD ON MANY PEOPLE WHO WORK AND GO TO SCHOOL AND COLLEGE .
CCTA busdrivers are the highest paid in New England (except for a few drivers in Maine). But, if they can’t get a wage increase of 6 times the rate of inflation, instead of the 2 times being offered by CCTA, they will punish the most vulnerable families in our community until they get their way. Increasingly, “their way” is no longer just money, but deeply personal and vindictive attacks on CCTA management.
Seriously, holding the poorest and most vulnerable members of our community hostage until the drivers get everything they ever asked for and satisfaction of their personal vendettas too? Children need to get to school. Patients need to get to medical appointments. People without jobs need to get to interviews. These drivers are not supportive of their community and should be fired for being greedy, vindictive spoiled brats. Replace them with drivers who appreciate a good job, and haven’t forgotten what it means to serve the public trust. I believe in unions, but these spoiled brats give unions a bad name.
It’s my opinion that both sides have acted in good faith during negotiations and it’s pretty clear that the action is not going to be served by continued meetings under the leadership of a mediator. That being said, I believe the community’s best interests would be best served via a filing with the Vermont Superior Court or the Vermont Department of Labor. As an aside, I emailed Senator Sanders yesterday and asked him to get personally involved and urge you to send him a similar message. His leadership and common sense would be a wonderful addition to ending this tragic labor action.
Hello people, the solution is simple. CCTA management should sign off on the latest offer from the drivers. They had that opportunity Friday night. Instead they chose to use that opportunity to demand more concessions from the drivers.
To his credit, Mark Davis mentions the issues in this strike: the length of the drivers split shifts, how complaints are handled, cameras on buses, compensation, and allowing part time workers. So far so good.
But what are the facts about the split shifts? How many hours do drivers serve under the present split shift arrangement? How many additional hours of split shift is management demanding under a new contract? Why are drivers resisting adding more hours to their split shifts? Why are they willing to go on strike to oppose an increase in the number of hours of split shift?
Is the union willing to settle for the current split shift arrangement? Is management willing to continue with the current split shift hours? Or is management refusing to back off on its demand for an increase in the number of split shift hours?
Is there a reason the article omitted mention of these facts?
Do Vermonters support the 8 hour day? Is this CCTA management attempting to foist a much longer total day on drivers? Isn’t the current 12.5 hour split shift day long enough? Shouldn’t our drivers enjoy the same rights to an 8 hour day as other Vermonters?
Do Vermonters support a management that is attempting to undercut not just the principle of an 8 hour day but even extend it beyond 12.5 hours? Do Vermonters support increasing the number of hours in the already onerous split shift to 13.5 demanded by management?
What about safety? Does anyone argue that increasing the number of hours in the split shift will improve safety? Should Vermonters be concerned that adding yet another hour to the already onerous 12.5 hour split shift will put passengers–and everyone else on the road–at increased risk?
Is there a reason the article did not present the fact that management is seeking to increase the number of hours in the split shift?