Capital Metro bus drivers plan to strike after negotiations fell apart Friday between StarTran - a Capital Metro bargaining contractor - and the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1091. Capital Metro does not as yet have specific details for how they will deal with the strike, but UT shuttle service will not be affected. If there is a strike, Capital Metro routes will run on a limited schedule, said StarTran press agent Rick L'Amie.
Friday's meeting was the 16th negotiation session since talks began on April 19, and the failure seems to have been the tipping point for the first strike by Capital Metro's transit workers.
At odds were wage and benefits, but particularly health- care packages. The union negotiators eventually agreed Friday to switch to a percentage-based system of co-pays. They would not accept StarTran's proposed two-tier system to maintain pay structures for current employees but reduce wages for new employees.
"StarTran has the highest wages in the state for bus operators and service employees," said Kent McCulloch, StarTran president and labor relations manager in a statement. He said StarTran's intent is to "protect our current employee's wage rates while bringing our overall wage rate more in line with the market."
McCulloch cited a 177-percent increase in health insurance costs as the reason for shifting some of the burden to employees.
Also, an agreement could not be reached regarding the union's request for retirement benefits.
"People need to make a living for the work they perform," said Jay Wyatt, president of the union. "Are we supposed to just leave our retirees out in the cold?"
According to L'Amie, transit workers had been operating without a contract since the Aug. 19, when the previous five-year contract expired.
However, Wyatt says that the question of a strike is no longer a matter of if, but of when.
"We made a lot of significant moves on Friday," he said. "But their attorney doesn't want it and wants to push us out on a strike. I don't see any other choice."
A union committee, assembled in July in anticipation of an eventual strike, will meet in the next two days to plan the date of the strike.
"They would have to change their attitudes on how to treat their employees and stop making employers pay more than they should for basic needs," said Wyatt.
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