About a third of SamTrans bus drivers called in sick today (Sept. 5) in an apparent labor action related to contract negotiations, according to the transit agency.
The absences prompted SamTrans to rearrange schedules while prioritizing school routes.
People are being asked to find alternate transportation for Thursday and Friday.
Routes 292 and 122 are not affected because contractors operate these routes. Also, Redi-Wheels and RediCoast paratransit services weren’t disrupted, SamTrans officials said.
“We understand that many of our riders do not have alternative transportation options, which is why we take today’s sick-out very seriously,” said SamTrans General Manager April Chan. “We appreciate the community’s patience and support as we work to minimize the impacts of this unexpected operator shortage.”
Agency officials said in a news release Thursday that they had expected and prepared for a sick-out that didn’t materialize at the end of August, two weeks after Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1574 rejected a three-year contract proposal that the agency said was supported by union leadership.
SamTrans said the offer included an 18.3% pay hike over three years for bus drivers, a 21.9% increase for mechanics, utility workers and storekeepers and an 11.4% increase for customer service representatives.
According to the government salary tracking website Transparent California, the highest paid SamTrans bus operator in 2022 was Rodolfo Arnobit Jr. who received $80,011 in total pay including overtime last year. With benefits, his compensation was $117,027.
In second was Michael Belfrey, whose total pay was $79,916.92 and $102,665 in total comp.
In third was Kelli Nicole Kenny-Broussard, whose total pay was $79,766 and $112,866 in total comp.
An ad SamTrans has posted for bus drivers says trainees get $25 an hour, and pay ranges up to $36.07 after 2½ years on the job.
Benefits include seven holidays, 21 days of paid time off a year, medical, dental and vision and retirement checks starting at age 62.
The union, which represents 400 bus operators and other workers, turned down SamTrans’ offer Aug. 14. An earlier offer was rejected as well.
Union officials didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday. — Bay City News
This is hardly news when you see how few people ride the bus. They could replace these buses with Ubers and they could reduce the transit taxes.
These smog belching half-empty buses will soon be a remant of the past. Flexible solutions like Uber, Zoox.com and Lyft do the job quicker, better, and much, much cheaper.
Okay, buses are empty, no requirement for a high school degree, knuckle dragging optional. Clearly worth what the taxpayers, sorry, the government is paying with benefits and retirement. Remember, the “government” pays for things, not the taxpayers. I’m sure they could get a Federal grant to pay twice what they are getting paid now.
What if they had a sick-out and no riders were affected? That’s what’s happening. So few people use the bus that if the drivers all walked out, nobody would notice. If a tree falls in the woods, but there is nobody there to hear it, did it really fall?
The unions are bleeding people to death. In the next election, when you see that a candidate is endorsed by a union, vote against that person. That’s the only way to keep your taxes down. Union-backed Measure W was sold to us as a way of reducing traffic. It’s failed.