Vote expected Monday: MCTS bus drivers union members to approve or reject new contract

“Chris Abele and the executives at MCTS want to hire 45 part-time transit operators who would work unlimited hours without benefits. This is unacceptable. The union has never agreed to part-time operators working unlimited hours.

The 45 part-time operators MCTS wants would be in addition to an already existing tier of over 70 operators hired to work 30 hours per week that are scheduled full-time hours but don’t receive full-time benefits or pay into the pension. These operators are classified as “G30s. This means MCTS could have over 100 employees working full-time hours without full-time benefits.

The meager wage increase in the latest proposal from MCTS would be offset by increased health insurance premiums and deductibles. In 2017, transit workers would end up taking home less money.

Since January 2015, over 100 employees have left MCTS resulting in scheduled work that is being held in at each station. It is unlikely that lower wage jobs without any benefits will attract or retain the workforce needed to move Milwaukee forward. Part-time transit workers simply cannot support full-time communities.

MCTS has proposed capping the cost-of-living adjustment on the last day of the contract at 2%. With interest rates heading up, prices will be going up, too. Transit workers are public servants who deserve a wage that keeps pace with the cost of living.

Amalgamated Transit Union Local 998 members have fought for many years to win the full-time professional drivers that Milwaukee deserves. This proposal doesn’t make sense for our members or for Milwaukee riders.”

"The contract offer comes after months of meetings between MCTS, ATU and the federal mediator. The contract offer includes millions of dollars in increased wages, a top-tier health care plan and numerous concessions requested by the union.

MCTS Managing Director Dan Boehm sent a letter this weekend to ATU members outlining the contract and clarifying some of the misinformation union leaders have been attempting to spread, particularly around pay, health care and part-time drivers.

In his letter to employees, Boehm wrote, “I have one goal; get a contract in place that recognizes the important work you do while also making sure we have a strong transit system for years to come. For reasons that are unclear to me, ATU leadership is intent on making this contract about politics and issues that are unrelated to the job of serving the community.  Your vote for this contract will provide the stability that our passengers and our employees are seeking.  Let’s get negotiations behind us, and get back to the business of focusing full-time on transit for the community.”