March 22, 2025 - American Public News

ITHACA, N.Y. — Bus drivers, mechanics and other Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit (TCAT) union workers are poised to vote on a tentative labor contract, according to TCAT management and union leaders.It’s a major move in a negotiations cycle in which members voted to authorize a strike just over a week ago. Now, in a joint statement, both parties said they are committed to “maintaining uninterrupted service for the community” while workers vote on whether to ratify the contract.Negotiators hammered out the tentative agreement after a marathon bargaining session that began at 8:45 a.m. Friday morning and concluded at 10:55 p.m., United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 2300 President Christine Johnson said in an interview Saturday.TCAT workers will be able to vote on whether to ratify the three-year contract in the coming weeks, Johnson said. The union represents TCAT’s roughly 90 bus drivers, mechanics, bus handlers and custodians. Johnson said she feels the contract includes policy changes that show important progress on some of workers’ main priorities, given the transit agency’s funding limitations.“I think it’s something we can bring to the membership,” Johnson said of the tentative contract. “I do think that there are legitimate struggles in the funding of TCAT. I believe that if [TCAT] management was holding anything back, they were holding very little back.”Johnson said she understands the transit agency may be limited in what it’s able to offer until TCAT is able to renegotiate its funding agreement with Cornell University in 2027. She said she feels the university, which she said disproportionately utilizes bus services, ought to contribute more to its operation.The proposed contract ensures all union members’ wages remain at or above the living wage for Tompkins County, which was raised last month to $24.82 per hour.A living wage represents the amount of money someone needs to earn in order to safely meet basic needs. In a report released last month, researchers said the county’s estimated living wage had increased by about 35% since the last time it was calculated two years ago.The contract also shortens the amount of time it takes for workers to reach the maximum pay for their position from 10 years to three years.The contract also comes with a separate, provisional agreement that would allow workers to refuse at least three mandated overtime shifts per year. The provisional agreement is on a one year trial basis with the option to extend if all goes well.The transit authority’s policy on mandatory overtime shifts has been a major sticking point for the union. Matthew Rosenbloom-Jones, TCAT’s general manager, said mandated overtime shifts are necessary and common in many transit systems to maintain essential bus services. Rosenbloom-Jones worked as a bus driver for several transit authorities prior to heading TCAT.Rosenbloom-Jones previously told The Ithaca Voice he’s seeing an uptick in hiring, which should alleviate staffing shortages and reduce TCAT’s use of mandated overtime.In a joint statement from TCAT and the UAW released Saturday afternoon, Rosenbloom-Jones thanked union members for maintaining transit services throughout the negotiating process. “We appreciate the hard work and dedication of the UAW Local 2300 bargaining team, and our employees who remain committed to providing safe and reliable transit for the community,” Rosenbloom-Jones said. “We value the vital role our workforce plays in keeping Tompkins County moving and are pleased to have reached an understanding that allows us to continue serving our riders.”In the statement, TCAT driver and union chairperson Brandon Chamblee echoed Rosenbloom-Jones’ sentiment.“Our members play a crucial role in keeping the community connected, and we are proud of the work we do every day,” Chamblee said. “We are encouraged by the progress we’ve made at the bargaining table and remain dedicated to ensuring a fair and equitable future for TCAT workers.”Editor’s note — The Ithaca Voice receives financial support from Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit. Their sponsorship does not influence coverage of the agency.The post Strike averted for now as TCAT workers vote on proposed contract appeared first on The Ithaca Voice.First published by The Ithaca Voice.

Daily Archives: March 22, 2025

Strike averted for now as TCAT workers vote on proposed contract

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