Comments on Metro Contract Update

Drivers worried that the policy would allow Metro to fire them based on anonymous complaints and complaints that couldn’t be substantiated complaints—like fare disputes.

Or passengers getting hysterical about being brought to West Seattle against their will?

And your progress in working with ST to get light rail on the ballot?

oh no you di'int!

so what do the bus drivers make?

context please.

Apparently starting part-time drivers make $17.74/hour: http://www.metrokc.gov/kcdot/jobs/ptto/pay.stm

that wage if you recall (see will @1), seemed once to make ECB come to the conclusion that she is equally working class as a single parent bus driver.

Remember that Core CPI does not include fast-increasing gas prices for the drivers to drive to work, as well as other portions.

They're right to be upset.

"...fast-increasing gas prices for the drivers to drive to work..."

Not to be flip, but they could take the bus. Do they get free bus passes?

Please. If they took the bus, how would they get to work on time, reliably????

Bus service doesn't run when you're starting the bus route at 5 am.

Get real.

What's the problem with firing the worst of the worst drivers? Get rid of 'em! I'm sure everyone gets an unsubstantiated complaint or two or three every once in a while. I have no problem with them clearing the ranks of the nastiest among them. If you get a ton of complaints, it's not an accident! You should be working somewhere else.

A lot of unions also have whats called step wages, where if you start at that 17.75 an hour, you get raises every 6 months plus the once a year cost of living increase until you max out at the highest wage at which point you are only eligible for the once a year cost of living increase. The wage increases for the new employees though when all included can be pretty substantial, on the order of 8-10 percent a year for at least 3 years depending on what the specific union and contract specifications. Get promoted to a lower step in a different classification and you can theoretically start it all over again. The wages go up fast at the beginning.

Full time drivers get something like $28.00/hour. They start at $17 or so and then work their way up to a full time job with a ton of money and benefits. I'm not saying it's an easy job at all, but for that kind of money, they'd better be willing to follow some rules and accept that they will be booted if they treat the public badly. There's a bunch of drivers that don't care how smoothly they drive, how courteously they answer the public's questions, if they call the stops. These guys who are rejecting their union contract are doing so because Metro wants to fire the worst of the worst. I've got no sympathy for them at this kind of wages. If my taxes are paying someone $28.00 an hour to drive a bus, I've got a right to expect the gold standard for customer service.

Erica. Who are you getting this info from? Is it from the union itself or just some random driver who is contacting you? Is it verified that any of this is really the case?

See! I told you it would be a trend.... First Seattle PD wants to "bargain" their discipline issues and now Metro is following suit! Don't these people know this is a "labor friendly" area and all workplace conditions are to be handed down from above?

I'm telling you, these unions are killing the pro-labor stance of the city and county!!!!!