Northwest labor press., July 21, 2006, Page 3, Image 3

Contract with Salem Area Mass Transit District
Drivers for WHEELS hold one-day strike to save jobs
SALEM — Drivers from the
WHEELS paratransit program held a
one-day strike July 7 to draw attention
to the possibility that their employer
won’t have its contract with the Salem
Area Mass Transit District renewed at
the end of the year.
The 65 drivers, represented by Amal-
gamated Transit Union Local 757, pro-
vide door-to-door bus service to dis-
abled persons who need a ride to and
from work and medical appointments.
WHEELS provides the service under a
subcontract with the Transit District,
which operates the Cherriots bus system
in the Salem and Keizer area. The trans-
port program for the disabled is funded
partly by local, state and federal tax dol-
lars.
WHEELS is a division of the non-
profit Oregon Housing and Associated
Services. It has had the paratransit con-
tract at the Transit District since 1997,
where it has received high praise by in-
dependent auditors for its service.
ATU’s contract at WHEELS expired
June 31. It was at the opening bargaining
session that the union first learned
WHEELS might not have its contract
renewed. “We were blindsided. We had
AFSCME endorses Kulongoski
Oregon AFSCME Council 75 has
endorsed Gov. Ted Kulongoski for re-
election.
“It’s the most lengthly process
we’ve ever undertaken,” said Ken
Allen, executive director of the coun-
cil, which represents some 24,000
workers.
In June, the council’s political ac-
tion committee interviewed candi-
dates, had them fill out an issue-re-
lated questionnaire, and reviewed their
legislative voting records. At meetings
July 14-15, PAC and the council’s Ex-
ecutive Board voted overwhelmingly
to endorse the Democratic incumbent.
AFSCME will take that endorse-
ment to the Oregon AFL-CIO’s Com-
mittee on Political Education (COPE),
which meets at 1 p.m. Tuesday, July
25, at Sheet Metal Workers Local 16,
2379 NE 178th Ave., Portland.
Also on the agenda will be en-
dorsements for legislative races and
positions on ballot measures in the
November general election.
no idea an RFP (request for proposal)
had gone out,” said said Jon Hunt, pres-
ident of Local 757.
Because WHEELS’ future at the
Salem Area Mass Transit District was in
limbo, management wasn’t in a position
to make any contract offers.
The union took the “no offer” to a
vote July 5, where members voted unan-
imously to strike.
Union officials then went to the Tran-
sit District to find out what was going
on. Hunt was particularly upset with
general manager Jeff Hamm. Just weeks
before, Hunt had worked side-by-side
with Hamm placing lawn signs in the
area in support of a transit agency bond
measure that was going to appear on the
May ballot.
“He didn’t mention any thing about
the RFP,” Hunt told the NW Labor
Press.
The union and its members worked
hard promoting the bond measure,
which won the popular vote, but failed
to be enacted because of the state’s
“double-majority” rule, whereby more
than 50 percent of registered voters must
cast ballots on measures that raise taxes.
Following the RFP bombshell, the
union asked Hamm to at least add lan-
guage that would protect operators’
wages and benefits. Drivers at
WHEELS earn between $12 to $15.50
an hour, with some benefits.
Hamm asked Hunt to provide him
language to insert in the RFP that would
put all bidders on a level playing field,
and protect the existing workforce.
The language Hunt offered was ...
“Any new contractor retained by the
public body must retain the existing
workforce and assume the existing
terms and conditions of employment as
provided for in any collective bargain-
ing agreement covering said employees
at the time the contract is awarded.”
According to union officials, Hamm
led them to believe that the problem
could be worked out. He suggested the
parties meet. When Hunt did not hear
from Hamm, he got concerned and was
stunned when he finally reached Hamm
and was told that Salem Transit was not
going to require any workforce protec-
tion and contract preservation language.
Workers decided to send a message
of their own by walking off the job July
7. “We had no choice,” Hunt said. “We
are trying to protect our family-wage
jobs and our health insurance, but it
looks like they will disappear soon.”
Hunt says that several companies are
interested in bidding for the paratransit
work, including MV Transportation,
Laidlaw Inc. and First Transit. All are,
Hunt said, notorious for anti-union be-
havior.
“The bid appears to be rigged,” said
Hunt, explaining that all competitors
will have the same bus, fuel and mainte-
nance costs. “The only place to cut is the
drivers’ wages and benefits.”
WHEELS executive director Jay
Lynch told the Salem Statesman-Jour-
nal that he intends to submit a proposal
to keep the contract. But without lan-
guage protecting driver wages and ben-
efits, he said, WHEELS cannot offer a
proposal that is financially competitive.
“We’ll submit a bid,” he said. “But
we’re committed to paying a wage that
will attract and maintain an experienced
and well-qualified staff. We are con-
cerned that the playing field is not level.”
“Hopefully we got the attention of
the Transit District’s board of directors,”
Hunt said. “There might be more service
interruptions if drivers don’t get the as-
surances they want.”
WHEELS makes about 1,000 trips a
day for area residents.
The Transit District extended its
deadline to receive RFPs from July 6 to
Aug. 17.
Michael E. Hardeman, Business Representative
Sign & Display Local 510
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JULY 21, 2006
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