http://atu.bluestatedigital.com/index.php All the news of interest and importance to members of the Amalgamated Transit Union en stp@atu.org Copyright 2010 2010-03-09T15:36:30+00:00 http://www.atu.org/content/atu_news/nj_transit_cuts_fair_hikes_wont_be_small1/#When:14:36:30Z TRENTION, NJ: Last year, the Amalgamated Transit Union, which represents bus operations workers voted to forgo a 3.5 percent contractual wage increase to help NJ Transit close a budget gap from a $60 million state subsidy cut. This year, NJ Transit will negotiate new contracts with bus drivers and two police unions, Weinstein said. 2010-03-09T14:36:30+00:00 http://www.atu.org/content/atu_news/transit_funding_disaster_a_hard_look_at_what_happens_when_money_is_tight/#When:14:28:06Z US, NAT'L: Over the last several months, we've written occasionally about the need to solve the impending transit funding crisis. For longer than that, we've worked around the country, but especially in California and New York, to find new and innovative ways to advance transit service. 2010-03-09T14:28:06+00:00 http://www.atu.org/content/atu_news/atu_finalizes_contract_with_clallam_transit/#When:14:14:56Z PORT ANGELES, WA: Paul Bachtel, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 587 president, agreed. "Clallam Transit has a professional group of managers who I really enjoy working with," Bachtel said. "They are honest people. I respect them." 2010-03-09T14:14:56+00:00 http://www.atu.org/content/atu_news/cta_archer_garage_closes_amid_economic_concerns/#When:14:10:21Z CHICAGO, IL: Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 241 Union President Darrell Jefferson has similar concerns. “There will definitely be a loss of revenue for this district, which may have a huge impact on area citizens,” Jefferson said. “Archer is a historical bus garage and has been in that neighborhood forever. The CTA loses credibility by removing it from the community.” 2010-03-09T14:10:21+00:00 http://www.atu.org/content/atu_news/community_transit_slashing_bus_service_in_snohomish_county/#When:14:08:40Z EVERETT, WA: Community Transits drivers union, the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1576, also opposed the cuts. Community Transit estimates the cuts will require 55 layoffs among Community Transits 375 drivers. 2010-03-09T14:08:40+00:00 http://www.atu.org/content/atu_news/atu_crimson_ride_operators_ratify_first_contract/#When:13:45:17Z TUSCALOOSA, AL: Mario Harmon, ATU Local 1208 Financial Secretary, said that the drivers would vote on the contract the evening of March 8. “It’s a good first contract and it improves our situation a great deal. There are some things we want to work toward in future contracts, but this is a good contract,” he said. 2010-03-09T13:45:17+00:00 http://www.atu.org/content/atu_news/cta_bus_drivers_are_nations_3rd_highest_paid/#When:18:35:14Z CHICAGO, IL: Co-host Terry Savage of CBS 2's Monsters & Money in the Morning said there are many factors to justify the pay rate for bus drivers, particularly since traffic in Chicago is far worse than in San Jose and likely Boston. 2010-03-08T18:35:14+00:00 http://www.atu.org/content/atu_news/cta_uses_press_to_push_usual_highest_pay_pre-negotiations_pr_ploy/#When:16:47:45Z CHICAGO, IL: In Chicago's mass transit system, "we're OK with the wages we receive. And we know that we actually outperform bus drivers in some other cities even though they earn more," said Darrell Jefferson, president of the CTA bus drivers union, Local 241 of the Amalgamated Transit Union. 2010-03-08T16:47:45+00:00 http://www.atu.org/content/atu_news/atu_crimson_ride_dr/#When:16:08:27Z TUSCALOOSA, AL: “It's a vast improvement, but I wouldn't call it a good contract because it doesn't include sick leave and adequate health care,” said Kenneth Kirk, international vice president for the Amalgamated Transit Union. 2010-03-08T16:08:27+00:00 http://www.atu.org/content/atu_news/contract_talks_resume_for_ua_shuttle_drivers/#When:18:20:21Z TUSCALOOSA, AL: The shuttle drivers, members of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1208, shut down campus buses by striking against employer First Transit. Most of the drivers earn less than $10 per hour and have no benefits, according to a news release. The release said University of Alabama shuttle drivers make less than peers at the University of Texas at Austin ($11.25-17.16) and the University of Florida at Gainesville ($12.50-16.75) who receive benefits in addition to hourly wages. 2010-03-02T18:20:21+00:00