Akron’s METRO bus drivers are preparing to vote on a contract proposal that many find unacceptable due to its failure to include retroactive raises for 2024 and 2025. Wayne Cole, president of Transport Workers Union Local 1, expressed that the proposal is likely to be overwhelmingly rejected by the union’s more than 300 workers.

Union Dissatisfaction

The proposal, presented by an arbitrator from the State Employment Relations Board, suggests a lump-sum payment of $3,500 instead of retroactive raises. Cole described this as an insult to the workers who have gone years without a raise. The union members are set to vote on the proposal on Monday and Tuesday, and if more than three-fifths reject it, a strike vote is expected to follow.

METRO’s board will also vote on the proposal, which was issued by fact-finder Michelle Miller-Kotula. The report includes a proposed 4% pay rate increase effective June 1, but Cole noted that an increase in healthcare costs would offset much of this raise. The union is also dissatisfied with the lack of changes to the ‘sick card’ policy, which allows members to call off sick for extended periods without other paid time off.

Potential Strike

If the union members decide to strike, Cole expects it to continue until a satisfactory contract is reached. The union has been warning of a possible strike for months, and a strike vote requires 51% of membership approval. The union must then give METRO a 10-day notice before any strike action begins.

While the report is nonbinding, and negotiations can continue even if a strike is called, the union’s frustration with the current proposal is clear. Cole emphasized that monetary issues are a significant concern for the workers, and the lack of raises over the past two years is a difficult point to accept.

Original reporting: Signal Akron — read the source article.