Former head of bus drivers’ union at WRTA fired for giving news interview while driving
WORCESTER A judge has ruled that the former head of the bus drivers’ union at the Worcester Regional Transit Authority was fired because he gave an interview to a news crew while driving, not because he spoke out against possible budget cuts.
“The uncontroverted evidence establishes that (plaintiff Christopher Bruce) was not terminated for speaking out to Telemundo on a public issue, i.e., proposed budget cuts, but for committing three serious Class II infractions: willful disregard of safety rules and/or common safety practice while driving a bus, failing to follow work orders and procedures, and giving an unauthorized interview to the press,” Massachusetts District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman wrote in a March 16 order. “Put another way, Bruce was terminated for permitting Telemundo to interview him while he was on duty driving a bus, not because he gave the interview, or
ALAMEDA COUNTY, CA â The Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) board has agreed to three-year contract extensions with the labor unions that represent its police officers, tying raises to ridership numbers as the pandemic fades.
The agreements negotiated with the BART Police Officers Association and BART Police Managers Association will allow the transit agencyâs police department to add 12 sworn officers and 20 crisis intervention specialists to staff its new Progressive Policing Bureau.
The new bureauâs specialists will perform outreach to people experiencing homelessness, mental health crises, substance abuse and other issues. The bureau also will include 10 Transit Ambassadors, uniformed civilian workers who will assist BART riders and monitor stations.
(Photo: submitted by City of Moncton)
The City of Moncton and the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1290 came to a collective agreement for Codiac Transpo bus operators, mechanics and service personnel.
The 5-year pact is retroactive starting September 1, 2019 and will see the 93 affected employees earn an annual average wage increase of 1.61%.
A new deal is long overdue after the previous agreement ended in August 2019, however with the effects of the pandemic, negotiations only began in December 2020.
In addition to wage increases, changes were made to the language requirements and hikes were given to annual tool allowances as well as shift premiums. This agreement will last until December 31,2024.
Some bus drivers got COVID hazard pay, sick time. Others got t-shirts
The RTA earmarked about $1.8 million for front line-workers for hazard pay and extra sick leave. Jefferson Transit: zero. Author: Mike Perlstein / Eyewitness Investigator Published: 2:51 PM CDT April 7, 2021 Updated: 2:58 PM CDT April 7, 2021
JEFFERSON PARISH, La. For longtime Jefferson Parish transit worker Arnold Thomas Sr., driving a bus for nearly four decades wasn t a job. It was a passion.
“I came bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, head held high, chest stuck out,” Thomas said.
But when coronavirus turned Thomas into an essential worker on the front lines of a deadly pandemic, the dynamics changed.
TriMet, union reach preliminary labor contract agreement
Updated Apr 01, 2021;
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TriMet and its workers’ union have reached an initial agreement on a new labor contract that includes a wage increase, new approach to training and increase in some disability benefits.
The transit agency reached a tentative agreement Thursday with the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 757, which represents nearly 2,700 TriMet employees. The agreement came after an impasse in labor negotiations that continued for close to a year.
The transit union’s contract expired last November, and the parties were unable to agree to a long-term contract over 15 negotiation sessions and four mediation sessions.