Bus service provided by the Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District MTD could be suspended and passengers would need to make alternate transportation plans if MTD and its union the Teamsters aren’t able to strike a deal by end of day Monday.
Hillary Blackerby, planning and marketing manager for MTD, issued a news release on Friday stating that no MTD buses or on-demand services would operate beginning Tuesday, July 1, unless the Teamsters and MTD agree on a new contract or the governor intervenes.
Blackerby said an impasse has not been declared, but the Teamsters members have authorized a strike. She said MTD is hopeful that continued mediation of the dispute with a state-appointed mediator will be successful.
Teamsters Local 186 announced that it had received a 100% vote on a strike authorization on June 11 among all the departments it represents – drivers, maintenance, and supervisors. The two sides find themselves at odds over healthcare benefits, pay increases, and changes to employee overtime.
“It’s just too much. Theres nothing in here for the employees,” said Jed Johnson, a negotiator for Teamsters Local 186.
Johnson says that the disagreement is over changes to the healthcare benefits that would roll them back to the previous contract. Additionally, Johnson said the MTD’s proposal does not include a pay increase for employees throughout the next contract.
Other issues include proposed changes to overtime, including the four-hour guarantee. Under the current contract, if an employee is scheduled to work but their shift is canceled, they will be paid for a minimum of four hours for the day. Johnson says the proposal is to decrease it to two hours guaranteed.
Additionally, Johnson says the new contract would change overtime rules. Under the current contract, he says employees who work on their day off are paid time-and-a-half.
Johnson says the new contract would require employees to work 40 hours before accruing overtime.
Blackerby said in the news release that MTD has reached out to Gov. Gavin Newsom to intervene and stop the strike.
The news release states that MTD has been engaged in good faith bargaining with the Teamsters and that MTD is “committed to reaching a fair agreement.”
