Anthony Bongco/File

An AC Transit workers’ union and the AC Transit board came to a three-year contract agreement late Tuesday evening, about an hour before the union had threatened to go on strike.

After working for several months, the union’s negotiations committee reached a tentative agreement with the AC Transit Board that saved about 181,000 daily riders from having to find alternative modes of transportation. Negotiations resolved disagreements over health care premiums and salary increases that required financial compromises from both parties.

“I wanted a contract that was fair to the ATU workers,” said Sharon Cornu, a spokesperson for Amalgamated Transit Union Local 192. “I think this contract reflects that.”

The agreement settled on a 9.5 percent wage increase for workers over the next three years. Originally, employees sought a 9.75 percent increase, and the transit agency was offering 9 percent.

“Wages have not kept up with the cost of living in the Bay Area,” said Yvonne Williams, president of ATU Local 192. “We’ve been behind for quite a while. But it’s an improvement, and we do need that improvement.”

In the last year of the previous contract, which expired June 30, workers had to allocate 3 percent of their salaries toward health care. Now, workers will pay the monthly flat rates of $70, $140 and $180 for the next three years, respectively. The union originally wanted $135 for the second year, and the board asked for $145.

Although the union had received previous salary increases, the money was allocated toward health care. However, there will now be in a net increase even after part of workers’ salaries is spent on health care.

Despite the agreements over health care and salaries, Cornu and several AC Transit bus drivers said that the lack of scheduled restroom and lunch breaks needs to be addressed.

“It’s probably the No. 1 safety issue,” said Drayland Davis, who has been an AC Transit bus driver for the past 15 years. “You try to run to the bathroom, and that’s only if you reach the end of your route early.”

According to Williams, the issue will be on the directors’ agenda next meeting.

Just last Sunday, Gov. Jerry Brown intervened to prevent another BART strike with a seven-day injunction against work stoppage. This incident, in conjunction with the BART strike on July 1, has made many Bay Area riders uncertain about finding transportation in the past month.

“We did not take the possibility of withholding service from public lightly,” Williams said. “That was more stressful than the negotiations process.”

The agreement will be presented to union members shortly, with a simple majority vote needed for ratification.

“I was quite pleased with the fact that this thing went with a whole of respect and relatively very little anger,” said Christian Peeples, who is on the AC Transit Board.

Contact Mary Zhou at mzhou@dailycal.org

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ATU Local 192, which represents 1,800 bus drivers and mechanics, gave notice on Monday of its intention to strike, which could leave AC Transit’s 181,000 daily riders without transportation. Employees’ contracts expired in late June, and negotiations have been ongoing for several weeks.

According to Clarence Johnson, manager of media affairs at AC Transit, both parties have been working to come to a solution and avoid service interruption. As the third-largest public bus system in California, an AC Transit strike is expected to cause much disruption as the BART strike last month did.

“Regrettably, our contingency plan involves simply no service,” Johnson said. “We cannot operate without drivers.”

Wage increases and contributions to health care have proved to be major issues in the negotiations. ATU members currently do not contribute to health coverage costs.

“We’re more than willing to pay,” said Yvonne Williams, president of ATU Local 192. “But we need a flat rate rather than a percentage, since we can’t control what that might escalate to.”

According to Johnson, the district wants ATU employees to contribute 10 percent of the cost of the monthly premiums, which would equal approximately $120 per pay period. The union’s flat rate would equal about $80 per pay period.

In a press conference on Tuesday morning, Johnson said that he is optimistic about preventing a strike, given the steady progress that has been made thus far.

“We started this weekend at $9 million dollars apart,” Johnson said. “We’re now only about $4 million apart as of last night. We are 1 percentage point apart in our wage proposals. We’re offering 9 percent; the union is seeking 10 percent. We’re moving in the right direction.”

According to Williams, however, the negotiations have been a “difficult process.” Although the union wishes to avoid a strike, it remains a possible outcome.

“Our goal is to avert a strike,” Williams said. “But we’re still intending to strike if we do not reach a collective bargaining agreement for our members for ratification.”

Contact Somin Park at sominpark@dailycal.org.

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Evan Walbridge/File

A union representing about 1,800 AC Transit workers plans to strike as early as Wednesday at 12:01 a.m.

Amalgamated Transit Union Local 192, which represents mechanics, dispatchers and clerical workers at AC Transit, plans to give notice of a strike to the AC Transit board of directors on Wednesday if no further progress is made on reaching a contract agreement.

A previous AC Transit worker contract expired on June 31. A strike could disrupt as many as 200,000 daily AC Transit passengers.

“Management has failed to meet its legal responsibility to bargain in good faith,” said ATU Local 192 President Yvonne Williams in a press release. ”Substantial health and safety issues, including meal and rest periods, and fundamental human rights are at stake.”

ATU Local 192 has cited problems with worker safety during negotiations, saying the rate of injury among AC Transit workers has increased in recent years. Last Wednesday, an AC Transit bus caught fire on I-880 south.

AC Transit unions previously threatened to strike at the end of June, when BART workers were preparing to strike. However, AC Transit administration and unions “agreed to disagree” while continuing negotiations and averted a strike.

Jacob Brown is a news editor. Contact him at jbrown@dailycal.org.

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