Transport Workers Union Local 1 President Wayne Cole said Metro RTA employees striking isn't preferable to a fair contract, "but at some point you have to draw a line for your dignity."
The union, which represents Metro's bus operators, vehicle service workers and clerical workers, voted June 30 to authorize a strike after lengthy contract negotiations with management collapsed. Cole said of the 270 members that voted, 269 voted to strike.
The union represents 307 Metro employees eligible to vote, he said.
"I feel leverage," Cole said, "and I feel solidarity with my people."
Authorizing a strike, however, doesn't mean that the union is walking off the job. It means they have the option to strike after giving Metro a 10-day notice.
Cole and a Metro representative said they are returning to the bargaining table July 1. Both sides say they've attempted to resume negotiations but were stymied by scheduling conflicts. Cole said the strike authorization vote might have gotten Metro's attention.
After the votes were counted, Cole said the union wouldn't immediately serve notice to Metro.
"We're going to remain hopeful we're going to hope to resolve the contract," he said. "We'll see where we can go with this tomorrow."
How Metro treats the union at the bargaining table will determine whether the union calls a strike, Cole said.
In a statement released Tuesday night, Metro representatives emphasized that talks are continuing and that "METRO remains committed to negotiating in good faith to reach a fair and reasonable agreement."
Cole warned that a strike would be "devastating" for Akron.
Metro takes children to school and transports people to doctor's appointments and grocery stores, he said.
"We transport nearly 20,000 people a day, and a lot of those services are vital," Cole said. "Not to mention getting people back and forth to work so they can put food on the table."
Metro CEO Dawn Distler said in the prepared statement: "While we encourage our [loyal transit riders] to have a contingency plan should a work stoppage occur, we are hopeful that continued discussions will result in an agreement without any disruption to the essential transportation services our community depends on."
The Metro statement noted that no strike notice has been issued and regular service continues to operate as scheduled.
"We encourage riders to stay informed by monitoring METRO communications and, as aprecaution, begin considering alternative transportation options should a strike ultimately occur," the statement said.
Source: msn.com
