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By Betty Lin-Fisher
Beacon Journal staff writer
POSTED: 05:11 p.m. EDT, Aug 24, 2008
The union representing bus drivers for the Portage Area Regional Transit Authority plans to strike Monday morning after a last-ditch negotiation session today broke down.
Picketing will begin at 4 a.m. Monday.
Trina Molnar, field representative for the Ohio Association of Public School Employees Local 37, said there was no movement when representatives for the two sides met more than 21/2 hours today.
''There was no discussion other than sidebars with the mediator, the attorney for PARTA and me,'' said Molnar, the union's chief negotiator.
PARTA officials said they were disappointed that there was no formal negotiating session today. W. Frank Hairston, director of marketing and customer service, said PARTA had a written proposal it was ready to present to the union.
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 a ''fair share'' provision requiring nonunion employees to pay dues if they receive union-negotiated benefits and protections.
The union has said the fair-share provision has been the main point holding up a contract.
''At this point, I have no plans to contact PARTA and ask for further negotiations,'' Molnar said.
The union, which represents 55 to 65 drivers, was trying to get its first labor contract with the bus agency.
The strike will begin on the first day of classes for Kent State University. PARTA, based in Kent, provides transportation to about 7,700 people a day, including about 5,700 Kent State students, faculty and staff.
A separate division uses Kent State student drivers who are not part of the bargaining unit. That division is not involved in the dispute.
PARTA officials have said all buses will be rolling Monday.
But Molnar said it's hard to say whether student bus drivers or student passengers will cross the picket lines.
''We've been contacted by some student activists at Kent,'' she said. ''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.''
Negotiations started in July 2006, and an impasse was declared a year ago.
The union representing bus drivers for the Portage Area Regional Transit Authority plans to strike Monday morning after a last-ditch negotiation session today broke down.
Picketing will begin at 4 a.m. Monday.
Trina Molnar, field representative for the Ohio Association of Public School Employees Local 37, said there was no movement when representatives for the two sides met more than 21/2 hours today.
''There was no discussion other than sidebars with the mediator, the attorney for PARTA and me,'' said Molnar, the union's chief negotiator.
PARTA officials said they were disappointed that there was no formal negotiating session today. W. Frank Hairston, director of marketing and customer service, said PARTA had a written proposal it was ready to present to the union.
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 a ''fair share'' provision requiring nonunion employees to pay dues if they receive union-negotiated benefits and protections.
The union has said the fair-share provision has been the main point holding up a contract.
''At this point, I have no plans to contact PARTA and ask for further negotiations,'' Molnar said.
The union, which represents 55 to 65 drivers, was trying to get its first labor contract with the bus agency.
The strike will begin on the first day of classes for Kent State University. PARTA, based in Kent, provides transportation to about 7,700 people a day, including about 5,700 Kent State students, faculty and staff.
A separate division uses Kent State student drivers who are not part of the bargaining unit. That division is not involved in the dispute.
PARTA officials have said all buses will be rolling Monday.
But Molnar said it's hard to say whether student bus drivers or student passengers will cross the picket lines.
''We've been contacted by some student activists at Kent,'' she said. ''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.''
Negotiations started in July 2006, and an impasse was declared a year ago.
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