After nearly 10 months without a labor agreement, C-Tran and the Amalgamated Transit Union 757 have agreed to a new 4-year contract.
“We’re really pleased,” said Andrew Riley, communications coordinator for the union. “This is probably the best contract our operators at C-Tran have ever seen.”
The C-Tran Board of Directors unanimously approved the contract Tuesday night during its regular meeting.
C-Tran officials say the 10-month delay was caused by changes in C-Tran leadership in the past year and union leadership’s busy schedules with the nearly 20 other transit organizations it serves.
“This process may have taken longer than in years past, but the end result is a solid agreement that both sides can take pride in,” said C-Tran spokeswoman Christine Selk.
Riley said the workforce had a 70 percent voter turnout, with 85 percent of them voting in favor.
The contract for fixed route and paratransit operators is retroactively effective beginning Jan. 1, 2018, through Dec. 31, 2021. Under the agreement, wages will increase between 2.75 and 3.25 percent each year.
“It’s going to keep pace with inflation,” Riley said. “That’s the gold standard we need to be trying to go for.”
He added that paratransit operators are going to earn nearly as much as the higher-paid fixed-route service drivers, which is rare in the transit world.
“They’re an industry leader for pay parity,” Riley said.
The overtime standards also changed so that workers will get overtime for working more than 8 hours in a day, rather than just 40 hours a week. That will benefit part-time employees.
The contract is expected to cost C-Tran $6.9 million over the four-year term, based on current operation estimations.
