Metro and its largest union reached a $44.6 million deal that gives 6 percent wage increases to 7,000 operations, maintenance and administrative employees over the next two years.
The deal, which was approved by Local 689 of the Amalgamated Transit Union on June 14, is expected to receive final approval by Metro’s Board of Directors this morning. The agreement, which gives an average raise of nearly $6,400 per employee, covers the final two years in a four-year labor agreement reached in 2004. Union officials could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
“We think we got a good deal,” said Metro interim General Manager Dan Tangherlini. “We’ve looked around the country and the deal is consistent with other transit properties.”
Station managers will also receive a one-time 5 percent wage increase on top of the across-the-board raise. Bus mechanics will get a similar 2 percent pay increase, officials said.
Under the agreement, union employees agreed to pay a greater share of their health benefits, with 2 to 3 percent more over the next two years with some employees paying as much 19 percent of their health benefits costs. Metro officials did agree to offer $500 credits to employees if customer satisfaction surveys and the operating surplus meet specific targets.
New strict guidelines will also limit job transfers within the agency which should cut down on lost training costs. Metro officials said they spend hundreds of thousands of dollars training employees for specific jobs only to have them move to different positions.
“We’re trying to avoid having employees go from bus to rail and back again,” Tangherlini said. “If we spend money to train employees we want them to stay at that position for a longer term.”
Employees who are trained as station managers or rail operators must commit to 2 1/2 years in their positions and those in the bus division must commit to two years. Employees who are trained to operate buses must also remain employed for one year or be forced to repay training costs.
To eliminate overtime costs, Metro will also rehire as many as 30 retired train operators on a part-time basis to handle special events, officials said.
