Ann Arbor bus drivers to hold picket to push for new contract
Bus drivers of the Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority say they have been working without a contract since the end of March.
The Transport Workers Union, which represents the drivers and mechanics, has been negotiating with The Ride, the bus service, for nearly two months.
TWU Local 171 President Delisa Brown says disagreements on pay raises and maternity leave cuts are getting in the way of a new contract.
"The biggest issue is basically they're trying to take away our leaves, with maternity leave being the biggest one," Brown said.
Brown says the current contract allows up to 12 consecutive months of maternity leave, but The Ride is trying to replace that with regular medical leave.
"It's different because you can only be off medically. They could go off and have the baby, but then at that point, medical leave would be over when they're medically able to return to work," she said.
Brown says the most experienced bus drivers with The Ride make $33.05 per hour, which is among the highest in the state. However, she says the number remains stagnant as the cost of living and wages in other regional public transit networks in the state rise.
"We're in this college town as you know, and it's expensive to live here, and many of our drivers and mechanics and people that work for us can't afford to live in the town that we work," Brown said.
The Ride says it couldn't comment on specifics of the ongoing contract negotiations, but it issued a statement about its goals:
"Out of respect for the process, we will not comment on specific proposals or details of the negotiations at this time. However, the Authority remains committed to continued good faith negotiations with the TWU that are collaborative and respectful. Our goal is to reach a mutually beneficial agreement that supports all employees and ensures reliable service for our riders."
Union members are hoping to get their point across ahead of another round of negotiations on Friday, when they'll hold an informational picket outside The Ride's main operations center on S. Industrial Highway in Ann Arbor.
