A Miami Metro bus makes a stop outside the Shriver Center. (SAMANTHA LUDINGTON | The Miami Student)
After months of negotiating, Miami Metro bus drivers will head back to discussion tables where they will continue to negotiate after an unsuccessful attempt to ratify a contract with First Transit Saturday, April 3.
"The bus drivers took a vote and it actually tied at 14 a piece, 28 people voted out of a possible 45," said Anthony O'Dell, member of the negotiating committee. "It ended up in a tie, so evidently according to the union bylaws, if there is a tie it is defeated, so we are supposed to go back to the discussion tables," O'Dell said.
According to Ron Sixt, president of AFSCME, Local 464, if it had been ratified, it would have gone into effect April 3.
"A union is a democratically run organization and if people felt it (the contract) didn't meet their needs, they have the opportunity to vote it down," said Susan Dirr, president of the Fair Labor Action Coalition (FLAC). "That is one of the strengths of the union."
Dirr said ratifying contracts can be exciting but often workers must give up some of the benefits they originally wanted. O'Dell said the union was started Sept. 2009 after 33 people voted for it and three voted against it.
"At that point, we were a union and we stared negotiating their (First Transit's) first contract," O'Dell said.
Dirr said students were upset that management has sometimes treated the bus drivers with disrespect.
The FLAC handed out flyers and stood at Miami Metro bus stops with signs that said "support your bus drivers." They also talked to students about why the drivers were unionizing.
"It was just kind of a steady campaign," Dirr said. "We didn't have a rally or anything. On our side, we raised awareness."
An anonymous drive said he enjoys his job and loves the students.
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"We are just asking for fair wages and fair working conditions," the bus driver said.
The same driver said the only breaks Miami Metro drivers get are the five or 10 minute layovers at Millett Hall or the Shriver Center.
"You're constantly on high alert," the driver said. "You are tired when the your shift ends."
Prior to the voting, Sixt said, "I hope it will work out and be ratified because I think this is probably the best deal we can get at this time."
According to Sixt, the improvements proposed included improvements in health care, leave time and discipline structure.
Sixt said if the contract is ratified, it would have very positive effects.
"They would have a better chance to have better wages, better health care and better working conditions in general," Sixt said.
The executive board committee consists of Sixt, O'Dell and Tom Chase.
"A lot of students at Miami are unaware of some of the labor issues on this campus and the fact that not all the workers are paid a living wage, and even that the right to unionize exists," Dirr said.
O'Dell said the group plans to work more on another contract. O'Dell and Sixt were contacted at their places of residence.
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