Our brothers and sisters in ATU Local 587 will vote on December 19 whether to ratify a new contract. The Transit Riders Union believes that our Metro drivers and all transit workers deserve a fair contract, and we extend the following statement of solidarity:
- The Transit Riders Union believes that the burden of Metro’s financial crisis should not fall on ATU 587 King County Transit Workers. The solution to this crisis is new progressive funding for transit, not cutting service and raising fares or eroding ATU 587 King County Transit Workers standard of living and working conditions.
- The Transit Riders Union believes that ATU 587 King County Transit Workers deserve their Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) and full time operators their right to the 8-hour guarantee.
- The Transit Riders Union believes that ATU 587 King County Transit Workers need and deserve adequate breaks, recovery time and meal periods.
- The Transit Riders Union believes that ATU 587 King County Transit Workers deserve a fair customer complaint system that does not scapegoat the operators and maintains the basic union rights to grieve all forms of discipline.
- The Transit Riders Union believes that ATU 587 King County Transit Workers deserve job classifications that do not make the worker vulnerable to speed-up, subcontracting/outsourcing, and layoffs.