Sun Tran and the city of Tucson may be in the market to hire “replacement employees” from out of state, according to the Teamsters Local Union 104. The bus strike is entering its 28th day with no resolution in sight.
The Teamsters allege that ads were placed in Orlando, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and Orange County to hire bus drivers and other employees to fill up the vacancies. Their contract would guarantee paid airfare, lodging, with a “strike pay” of $21 an hour, plus $31.50 for overtime. Then there’s $22 per day for meals, etc. The substitute workers would be required to work two to four weeks, 12 hours a day. This would cost at least $9,778 for every person they hire, according to the Teamsters.
From the press release received Tuesday evening:
Here is how much taxpayer money SunTran and the City of Tucson will pay, and waste, on each individual out of state replacement for the duration of a 4 week employment contract. Daily straight time pay plus overtime pay is $294.00, multiplied by 20 days equals $5,880.00 in wages.
Daily per diem is $22.00 multiplied by 28 days (includes weekend meals) equals $616.00. Lodging (including weekends) at $89.00 per day multiplied by 28 days equals $2,492.00.
The cheapest round trip airfare from Orlando is $790. The grand total that SunTran and the City of Tucson are willing to guarantee each one of these out of state replacements is an estimated $9,778.00.
That amount divided by 20 days worked equals $488.90 per day as compared to $213.84 for a top rate 30 plus year driver on strike.
$9,778.00 multiplied by 423 replacements equals $4,136,094.00 for only 28 days or $53,916,938.60 for 365 days.
Sun Tran spokesperson Kandi Young says that’s not true.
“Sun Tran and the City of Tucson have NOT placed any ads locally or nationally for replacement operators,” she says in an email to the Weekly. “We are working with an outside vendor to provide operators so we can continue to offer service to our passengers, which is paid for out of the approved budget.”
On Tuesday, Sun Tran announced it had added two more routes to its limited service: Routes 6—Tohono Transit Center to downtown— and Route 7—22nd Street from Harrison to downtown.
Here’s all the routes, running from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.:
Route 3 – 6th St./Wilmot
Route 4 – Speedway
Route 6 – Euclid/ N. 1st Ave.
Route 7 – 22nd Street
Route 8 – Broadway
Route 9 – E. Grant
Route 11 – Alvernon
Route 16 – Oracle/Ina
Route 18 – South 6th Avenue
Route 25 – South Park Avenue
Route 29 – Valencia
Last week, the Teamsters rejected Sun Tran’s latest proposal, saying it was even worse than the original.
That new offer was presented to the Teamsters last Wednesday by the federal mediator on behalf of Sun Tran. The union said it still didn’t address mold contamination issues or safety concerns—and the wage and benefits proposal was considerably lower:
The total money being offered in year 1 has been reduced from $0.54, which was divided between Pension, Health & Welfare, an additional Holiday, and a $0.50 raise to new hires, to $0.42, which is in the form of an hourly pay increase for each employee.The total money being offered in year 2 has been reduced from $0.39, which was divided between Pension, Health & Welfare, an additional Holiday, and a $0.50 raise to new hires, to $0.24, which is in the form of an hourly pay increase for each employee.The total money being offered in year 3 has been reduced from $0.39, which was divided between Pension, Health & Welfare, an additional Holiday, and a $0.50 raise to new hires, to $0.24, which is in the form of an hourly pay increase for each employee.
In the meantime, the Teamsters and many others still hope the city will get involved.
“The Mayor and City Council should be appalled and ashamed of what SunTran and the City of Tucson are willing to spend on out of state temporary replacements rather than bargain a fair contract with the dedicated and loyal striking employees! Call them and demand action!” the Teamsters’ press release says.
This article appears in Aug 27 – Sep 2, 2015.
I am interested in how much bus drivers currently make and what they are asking for.
“… dedicated and loyal striking employees…” What? Isn’t this a contradiction in terms?
They are asking for too much the bus drivers in Los Angeles get paid less and they have a lot more safety issues then Tucson. I believe there is more to the picture here I think they are more concerned about mold that was found and yes their safety is a concern. I really think on that they have a valid point so I’m not too sure who is right or wrong but truth will come out it always does
Sun Tran has no real power over how this is resolved. The multinational conglomerate that owns Sun Tran is ultimately run by the French government who uses the profit to provide subsidized housing in France. If Transdev agrees to higher wages it would set a precedent in the many other cities they provide transportation services to.
Tucson tax payers subsidize a transportation company that provides really poor work and customer infrastructure to make the middle men rich and provide services to French citizens. Doesn’t the irony almost make up for not having transportation? Sadly, not for me, I really need a job and this isn’t helping.
Source:http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/081315_sun_tran/stop-calling-it-sun-tran-bus-strike-piece-bigger-puzzle/
The Teamsters blame Suntran for “wasting” the city’s money on imported drivers. Suntran may not be the only one causing the strike. The strike does not hurt decision makers. It affects Tucson’s poor who are making less than the bus drivers for harder work. I doubt the city will ever cave on this one.
Bus drivers get paid a lot less than our police officers and our fire fighters; and the bus drivers have to deal with many of the same people the police & fire departments encounter in their jobs. We need more living wage jobs, and the bus drivers are not overpaid for the level of responsibility they assume on our behalf. Everyone should have access to employment that provides a quality standard of life. Pulling others down is not the way to lift this City out of poverty.
There is a catch to this: while the Teamsters have mellowed somewhat since Hoffa, their history is that anyone who crosses their picket line risks being killed for doing so.
Minty Mary…is the mint from too much peppermint schnappes? Bus drivers are not being “pulled down into poverty.” It may seem difficult in Tucson…because of politicians…but everybody has access to employment that provides a quality standard of life.
But please note…it’s not regulated by the government, nor is it delivered to your door. It works the old fashion way…YOU HAVE TO EARN IT!
Now go to your room!
I just wish that the two sides would be required to meet every day for 8 hours until they could reach an agreement. I am so tired of reading that no talks are scheduled. The two sides need to realize that they both can’t get their own way. It is time to grow up and figure out a solution to the strike that is impacting so many peoples lives. I teach first grade and my students don’t even behave this badly. Stop pointing fingers and figure out a solution or find someone who will!
Hell Yeah…screw the teamsters……I am so glad this is happening slowly.
What the Teamsters don’t get is that the Mayor and City Council do not have control of the process, nor does the management company. The process is controlled by the amount of money available, which, in turn, is controlled by the whole population of Tucson’s taxpayers. The only way to meet the Teamsters’ demands would be to raise taxes. This, however, would require voter approval, which simply is not going to happen in a very conservative town in which, in decisions between services and taxes, ballot proposals to spend more on the former by increasing the latter almost invariably fail.
Good for administration! Hire more!!! Maybe it would be expensive to let go of drivers but may well be worth the price. If they don’t want to work…just like the rest of us with real jobs…there’s many others who will!
Tucson is and always has been a low wage town, that’s what happens when you rely on tourism rather than industry. The city fathers have known this since the fifties, but continue on in the same manner. The big boys money keep industry out and tourism in.
Yeah and then they blow out major league baseball. Why does anybody vote for these turkeys?
Teamsters need their knee caps busted out. Sun Tran drivers, please do yourselves a favor am tell these attention whore teamsters to kick rocks, an go back to your jobs, before someone else gets the job you had.
so pay more to import people and still not get ALL routes back. LESS transportation for MORE $$$? Am i missing the logic? Or is it really about a french owned company trying to bust another union like they’ve done in other cities? I don’t know about you, but i want that mold cleaned up . Why has the company refused to do it for FIVE years now? Could it be the cost which means less profit for the guys at the very top? I’m sure no one in France cares if us in Tucson breathe in mold every day.
Stop biching sun tran peopple. Theres others job that need more oweres and you guys get good oweres and payed good. Not like others people busthing their ass out side in the sun well you guys act stupid every time. I seen others people that they work 16-19 owere of sheft and some people work for 11-15 owere of sheft and they get low checks so STOP WINNING. IF YOU DONT bolive us talk to ALL employed people at the swapmeet people they will tell you . thank you and have a good day.
Strikers you have shown you’re no asset to the company…however, you are asses to the public. I could be in agreement if teamsters were demanding safer driving conditions. All drivers need safer working conditions. But that’s not the main point…the point? 100% medical coverage. No one gets 100% coverage on medical. Then your dumb asses are not willing to sit and negotiate at a table…but instead strikers wants the media to be their negotiator; perhaps believing that the citizens of Tucson are going to sway administration. Is the head of teamsters some idiot from back east? Sure seems like it. It would be good for the company to hire new everything and everyone! New drivers and new mechanics…wherever there’s a hole because staff are striking… ctrl-alt-delete!
Well, we do need some Bus drivers!
My wife is a teacher with a master’s degree, teaching full time in her 17th year as an instructor. She would love to be paid as highly as the bus drivers!