Island bus drivers tout raises in new CBA
After a five-year battle, bus drivers on Martha's Vineyard on Sunday announced their first-ever collective bargaining agreement.
ATU Local 1548 said bus drivers had voted to ratify their contract with their private employer, Transit Connection, Inc. (TCI). The vote came three days after an agreement was reached following two days of bargaining and a 28-day strike.
"This is a historical day for VTA drivers and a great day for the island," Vineyard Transit Authority driver Richard Townes said in a statement. "We can now better provide for our families, our jobs are more secure, and we can get back to safely transporting our riders, friends and allies, whose support on the picket lines and year-round was critical in achieving this fair contract.”
According to the union, the highest wage rate increases by 8.5 percent from $23.50 to $25.50 starting Aug. 1, 2019. The top rate will then increase again on Aug. 1, 2020 to $27, with the final increase occurring Aug. 1, 2021, to $27.50. The starting wage rate for new hires will increase by more than 18 percent from $16.50 to $19.50 on Aug. 1, 2019. The starting wage will then increase to $20 on Aug. 1, 2020, and then increase to $20.50 on Aug. 1, 2021.
Said Townes, "We can now put the strike behind us. Our goal now is to work to improve the VTA to provide the safest, most reliable, and most affordable bus service for our community and our island. We hope the VTA Administrator and private contractor TCI will work together with us to achieve that goal."
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