After several months of delays related to the COVID-19 global pandemic, representatives from the Amalgamated Transit Union have reached out to Transdev to resume bargaining. Transdev, the French Multinational that Foothill Transit contracts out the service to, has informed the Union that they are willing to resume bargaining and are working on a more official response which will include suggested guidelines to ensure the safety of all of those involved in the process. The Union fully agrees with Transdev that the bargaining itself must be safe and everyone in the room must be able to maintain a safe 6ft distance.
Background:
As a result of the COVID-19 global pandemic, ATU and Transdev entered into an extension agreement which renews automatically every thirty days until one party informs the other that it intends to withdraw. The extension agreement was prudent and necessary because at the time it was entered no one knew how this pandemic would vet out. Also, an extension agreement now (more than any other time) was important to ensure that worker rights to arbitration continue post expiration. As you know, the National Labor Relations Board (the government agency responsible to monitor and enforce laws related to private sector bargaining) has long held that the arbitration process is not mandatory post expiration.
The two Collective Bargaining Agreements representing Operators, Supervisors, Dispatchers and Trainers expired on June 30, 2020
“The Union is fully prepared to move forward. We have spent the time developing proposals, based on the members suggestions. We will be demanding, among other things retro pay on any wage increase that the parties mutually agree upon,” says Union Trustee Dennis Antonellis who is also a Representative with the ATU International, the Local’s parent body. Antonellis continued by stating that the “Union’s negotiator will be in town on August 5th, 6th and 7th and will be meeting (safely) with the membership to discuss how to move forward. All members who wish to sit down with him will be asked to sign up for times to ensure that no more than 10 people at one time will be in the room. The negotiator will be holding 30 minute sessions beginning early morning and lasting into the evening. Times will be posted on the sign-up sheets. Sign-up sheets will be available later this week.”