Over 300 MTS Workers Continue to Strike

SAN DIEGO, CA: More than 300 bus drivers and other First Transit employees contracted to work for Metropolitan Transit System entered their second day of a strike Thursday.

The work stoppage — which began at 3 a.m. Wednesday, halting service on 18 of 95 public transportation routes in the San Diego area — comes after more than a year of failed labor negotiations with Cincinnati, Ohio-based First Transit. The company operates MTS Access and 18 fixed-route buses for MTS, providing public transportation for more than 4,300 passengers a day.

“First Transit has been in negotiations with Teamsters Local 542 since July 2015, and union members have been working without a contract since that time,” according to Jay Brock, spokesman for First Transit.

A representative of the union members — who are demonstrating with picket lines at Copley Park in Kearny Mesa — had not returned a call for comment as of publication time.

“Sometimes you have to make a sacrifice and stand up for what is right. It's time to stand up for better wages and better healthcare,” wrote Matthew Snyder, on Teamster Local 542’s Facebook page.

The strike has halted service on the following routes: 14, 18, 25, 83, 84, 88, 833, 851, 870, 944, 945, 945A, 964, 965, Sorrento Valley Coaster Connection Routes 972, 973, 978, 979 and MTS Access. 

Additionally, routes 25 and 964 have limited service based on driver availability. Customers can expect major delays and some missed service on the two routes.

“It is officially a strike,” Brock told Patch, noting that it not only involves bus drivers. “It also includes people who take reservations for the paratransit service; we also have some technicians behind the scenes who work on the buses for us.”

Although the vast majority of MTS passengers are not affected by the strike — major bus routes and trolleys are still running — Brock said the “most vulnerable of passengers” are. Many of those on strike are MTS Access drivers, who provide paratransit for people with disabilities or medical issues such as dialysis to and from their appointments.

“MTS Access provides vital service to people who cannot access regular public transportation services to get to hospital or doctor’s appointments or care at regional centers,” Brock said. “Despite this work stoppage, First Transit was able to provide 80 percent of all MTS Access trips through the use of third-party providers.”

Some paratransit service may be provided by taxi services and other additional service providers based on availability of drivers, according to First Transit and MTS.

“We are pleased that approximately 80 percent of all scheduled trips are being accommodated and we will continue to partner with First Transit to increase that number,” said Paul Jablonski, chief executive officer of San Diego MTS. “The people who ride this service are the people that need transportation the most and our focus is providing this vital transportation.” 

First Transit gave a timeline of the events leading up to the strike:

• April 27, 2016 – First Transit and the leaders of Teamsters Local 542 met for negotiations and made an offer which matched the union’s proposed economic package. A tentative agreement was made based on that offer.  
• May 6, 2016 – A ratification vote was held by the union membership. Teamsters Local 542 notified First Transit that the tentative agreement was not ratified by the union. 
• May 11, 2016 – First Transit and Teamsters Local 542 returned to negotiations.
• May 12, 2016 -- After negotiating through the night, on May 12 First Transit made a final offer containing an economic package which met that of the tentative agreement. This offer included first-year average salary increases of 7 percent for drivers, 6 percent for technicians, and 15 percent for reservationists. Over the agreement’s four-year term, drivers would receive an average salary increase of 31 percent, reservationists 28 percent and technicians 27 percent. First Transit also offered additional contributions for health-care costs and improvements to paid-time off for employees.
• May 24, 2016 – First Transit was notified by the union that the offer made on May 12 was not ratified.

A similar strike was recently avoided by North County Transit District.

“We came together and were able to prevent that,” Brock told Patch.

While the MTS strike is under way, passengers are advised to make alternative arrangements. For MTS Access appointment information, passengers can call 888-517-9627 or 800-921-9664.  

For alternative MTS routing information, call the MTS Information and Trip Planning office at 619-233-3004. NCTD passengers can call 760-726-1111.

“Right now, our priority is to provide transportation for as many passengers as we are able focusing on those most vulnerable passengers that need to get to a medical appointment,” said Nick Promponas, senior vice president of First Transit.

(Patch file photo)