A narrow majority of Vineyard Transit Authority workers have voted not to join the Amalgamated Transit Union. The final vote, cast by secret ballot, was 21 to 18. VTA employees may again seek membership in the ATU in one year.
A narrow majority of Vineyard Transit Authority workers have voted not to join the Amalgamated Transit Union.
All 39 of the company’s eligible voters turned out at the VTA training room at the Martha’s Vineyard Airport on Wednesday to cast their votes. The final vote, cast by secret ballot, was 21 to 18. VTA employees may again seek membership in the ATU in one year.
The Vineyard is just one of three regional transit authorities in the state without union representation. Twelve of the state’s regional transit authorities are members of the ATU, a large labor union that represents workers in the United States and Canada.
Charles Ryan, the president of the local 1548 branch of the ATU, told the Gazette this week that the union began negotiating a contract with VTA employees in 2003, but those negotiations ended when members failed to ratify the contract by a one-year deadline.
“Since then they had like 37 issues that they brought up to the owner of the company and he addressed four of them and dismissed all the rest of them,” Mr. Ryan said. “When you’ve got that many issues it seems like there is a lot of stuff going on that maybe your manager doesn’t want to look at.”
Wednesday’s vote was to determine whether the VTA employees would join the local 1548 branch of the union, which represents Plymouth and Brockton St. Railway Co., Brush Hill Transportation Co. and the Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority.
Some of the issues that have been raised over the years relate to a wage cap of just over $21 per hour and a disciplinary process that some workers say is too rigid.
Mr. Ryan noted that the vote was split down the middle, which didn’t surprise him.
“I always knew that it was a very divided faction of people over there.”
Comments
thanks to the awesome drivers
Ken Edgthanks to the awesome drivers of the VTA.
Common sense prevails. WHY
John Gault Oak BluffsCommon sense prevails. WHY pay dues to someone who really does not care about anything more than the MONEY from the dues.
Obviously Mr. Gault is
Richard Roth TisburyObviously Mr. Gault is misinformed. The Union spent over $6000 10 years ago organizing and negotiating a contract with the employer. Only to have our efforts turned down by the membership. There is no dues without a successful contract. So instead of paying a small amount of union dues the employees are being taken advantage of by the Company not much common sense there.
To dismiss 33 of 37 issues
George Stein EdgartownTo dismiss 33 of 37 issues shows a complete lack of proper intentions. What is there health care scenario ? Hard working people who do a invaluable service by doing so much more than just driving. They do as much for helping tourists hourly than any group I know of outside the SSA.
I was a member of that union
John Sampson HyannisI was a member of that union until I retired last year. I went from $8.56 per hour in 2001 to $21.50 when I retired. As a part-time employee I got benefits vacation time sick time and personal time and 13 paid holidays. Those union leaders care about their people not the money. Its the VTA employees loss.
Many thanks to the employees
Charles Ryan A.T.U. Local 1548Many thanks to the employees of the VTA for allowing us the chance to hold a vote to represent you. Even though the vote didn't go the way many of us hoped it would go the democratic process was upheld. In my 25 years as a labor leader I have never seen a 100% turnout for a vote before. That shows everyone was involved and interested. Good luck in the future.
Completely different
Ken Edg.Completely different demographic here on the island. Before the turn of the century we didnt even have buses. Anyway Im glad our transportation system isnt going the way of the steamship authority where many of us can no longer afford it.
As an employee who voted
Jason Chalifoux EdgartownAs an employee who voted yesterday, and as a member of the drivers council at the vta who helps to try and resolve some of the issues between the drivers and management, I'd like to say there is a lot of misinformation out there. Are things perfect? No. But not all of us feel we need a union to resolve those issues. A lot of us are happy with the way things are run we just need to tweak a few things. No one called me and asked what happens in those meetings. The papers ran with one guys opinion.
Reading something in the
Deacon Perrotta Oak BluffsReading something in the newspaper doesn't mean that it's true. Good decision on the drivers behalf.
Having read the letter by mr
Richard Townes Vineyard HavenHaving read the letter by mr Chalifoux I have to agree. There was quite a bit of misinformation regarding the Union. I was on the drivers council for two years. The union would have given the drivers a voice on improving the working conditions. I was an observer for the vote. Clearly the drivers were not informed of the value of be represented by the ATU for this I blame myself. The VTA is a good place to work it could've been better. Since I left the council a year ago I know of NO drivers concerns that have been addressed
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