Transit contract talks stall

No discussion between system, union scheduled

With no talks scheduled between the Milwaukee County Transit System and the local bus drivers union, an impasse has been reached in what have already been reactive and unpredictable contract negotiations between the two parties.

On Monday, the local drivers’ union scheduled a news conference to apologize to the tens of thousands of riders who weathered its threeday strike last week — at 3 a.m. (It was later moved up to 1 a.m.)

The work stoppage, for which riders were given a little over a day’s notice, lasted from early morning Wednesday to Saturday.

On Monday, union President James Macon said future work stoppages were possible if an agreement

can’t be reached.

“I’ve made it clear: The ball is in their court,” Macon said. “All options are on the table.”

When MCTS presented its most recent contract offer, according to spokesman Brendan Conway, union leaders walked away from the six-hour bargaining table session, asking for $8 million in pay increases.

“They marked it with a pen or a pencil: ‘no, no, no way, no and no,’ ” Conway said. “It’s not really a negotiation at that point. It seems like they’re playing games.”

Macon, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 998, didn’t deny that there’s a back-and-forth strategy at hand but said that until pension, medical benefits and salary issues are negotiated, the union won’t accept a contract.

Conway said the bus system’s unique financial position puts it in a difficult negotiating position. It depends on state taxpayer dollars for its primary source of funding, followed by revenue from passenger fares.

“We certainly don’t want them to strike, but the reality is we are not some big multimillion dollar conglomerate corporation,” he said. “It’s a tighter budget than other cities.”

To meet the union’s demands, Conway said, MCTS would have to cut routes.

“When we look at our budget for the next few years, we see a looming fiscal cliff,” he said.

The bus service covered the estimated $50,000 to $70,000 cost of providing free bus rides across Milwaukee County on Monday as a “thank you” to riders left stranded by the temporary strike.

Riders with monthly or multiple-ride passes will be reimbursed, and can look for information on how to do so on the MCTS website.

“This day of free transit won’t make up for the massive inconvenience riders felt last week,” County Executive Chris Abele said in a news release. “However it’s the least we can do to thank the community for their patience.”