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Talks break down with drivers' union. Transit system insists today's pickets won't affect Kent State
By Betty Lin-Fisher
Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Monday, Aug 25, 2008
Bus drivers for the Portage Area Regional Transit Authority plan to go on strike this morning after a last-ditch negotiating attempt broke down Sunday afternoon.
The union, which represents 55 to 65 drivers, was trying to get its first labor contract with the bus agency. Negotiations began in 2006 and an impasse was declared a year ago.
Officials with PARTA said all buses, including those that serve Kent State University, will run as normal today, staffed by PARTA management and office workers.
Although a separate division of nonunion student drivers transports the 5,700 students, faculty and staff at Kent State University who ride the buses, union officials said the strike could affect Kent State's first day of classes today. Another 2,000 passengers ride the countywide bus routes.
''We've been contacted by some student activists at Kent,'' said Trina Molnar, chief negotiator and field representative for the Ohio Association of Public School Employees Local 37. ''There's some concerns from the students that they do not wish to cross a picket line or even have a part in the labor strike.''
The student drivers, whose division is not involved in the dispute, have been told to report to work today, said W. Frank Hairston, director of marketing and customer service for PARTA.
But PARTA staffers are ready today to drive all routes, including the campus routes, Hairston said.
The majority of the PARTA routes are covered by small buses that do not require drivers to have commercial drivers' licenses (CDLs), but quite a few PARTA staffers do have them and are prepared to drive the larger buses, Hairston said.
He said PARTA will look at the possibility of replacement workers after today. The agency will not use drivers or management from other regional transit authorities, he said.
The main sticking point in the negotiations has been the union's desire for a ''fair share'' provision that would require nonunion people to pay dues if they receive union-negotiated benefits and protections.
PARTA officials said they believe employees should maintain the right to choose which organizations they wish to support with their wages.
Molnar said there was no movement when representatives for the two sides met on Sunday.
''There was no discussion other than sidebars with the mediator, the attorney for PARTA and me,'' she said.
PARTA officials said they were disappointed that there were no formal negotiating session between the two full bargaining teams on Sunday. PARTA had a written proposal it was ready to present to the union, which covered hourly wage rate increases and enhanced benefits, including medical benefits, paid holiday benefits and paid time off.
Molnar said she did meet with the federal mediator and PARTA attorney and was clear that she would take a proposal to her membership if it included the ''fair share'' provision.
No new negotiation sessions have been set.
''At this point, I have no plans to contact PARTA and ask for further negotiations,'' Molnar said.
Union members will initially picket at the PARTA headquarters at 2000 Summit St., Molnar said. Union members might spread out their pickets more in subsequent days, she said.
Union members took their strike vote last September but had been holding off on the strike, in hopes that a resolution could be reached, said Larry D'Agostino, vice president of the local union and a PARTA driver for 10 years.
''In these economic times, you'd have to give it some extra consideration. To be very honest, whether these are good or bad times, there couldn't be any other choice. They've given us a 'take it or leave it scenario,' '' said D'Agostino, who was not a member of the negotiating team.
D'Agostino, who drives a route between Ravenna and Stow, estimated that during the school year, half of his ridership is college students getting to campus.
''This is definitely going to affect them,'' he said.
D'Agostino said he did not want to ''mud-sling'' against management, but he thought it was ''preposterous'' that PARTA staffers would be able to cover all of the routes on the first day of the strike.
Tom Neumann, Kent State University interim vice president for media relations, said PARTA officials have assured the university that KSU service would not be affected by the strike.
As for whether university passengers and student drivers will cross the picket lines, Neumann said, ''It is a decision students will make for themselves.''
Neumann said he knew of no extra measures that would be taken by the university or university police because of the strike.
''The last word we had from PARTA was that everything would be running as normal,'' Neumann said. ''We're operating under those conditions right now.''
Betty Lin-Fisher can be reached at 330-996-3724 or blinfisher@thebeaconjournal.com.
Bus drivers for the Portage Area Regional Transit Authority plan to go on strike this morning after a last-ditch negotiating attempt broke down Sunday afternoon.
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