Photo / Leo King
Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1197 in Jacksonville took a strike vote yesterday, and voted to strike, 185-4. The union represents Jacksonville Transportation Authority bus drivers. Local President Larry D. Allen was unavailable for comment Monday morning. First Coast News reported today bus service will not be interrupted for “at least two weeks;” the strike vote has to be approved by international union leadership. Meanwhile, the drivers remain on the job.
Buses were still rolling today despite Jacksonville Transportation union member voting to strike on Sunday.
“There are discussions with regard to how overtime is calculated and the way accidents are counted,” JTA’s Wendy Morrow told Examiner yesterday over why the bus agency’s bus drivers voted on Sunday to strike.
By 2 p.m. yesterday, no one from the union had responded to Examiner queries for details, although around 9:15 a.m. a union representative in Washington had given us a Jacksonville telephone number for Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1197 president Larry D. Allen – which turend out to be disconnected.
The union’s press officer, Shawn Perry, also would not respond to queries after he sent Allen’s phone number.
The Amalgamated Transit Union is the largest labor organization representing transit workers in the U.S. and Canada. More than 190,000 members in 264 local unions are spread across 44 states and nine provinces. It is composed of bus drivers, light rail operators, maintenance and clerical personnel and other transit and municipal employees.
JTA spokeswoman Wendy Morrow said late Monday afternoon, “JTA is disappointed that the union bus operators voted to reject our contract offer as well as authorize their union leadership to seek approval for a strike.”
In a prepared statement, she added, “The union has also asked to resume contract negotiations, and JTA is willing to do so immediately upon assurances that all operators continue to perform their obligations to provide service, including the upcoming Jaguar Stadium Shuttle Service, during these negotiations.”
Morrow explained, “As talks continue, regular transit service will continue to be provided, including regular bus service, community shuttles, Ride Request, paratransit and the Skyway. JTA will provide on-going updates to the community through the media, our website (www.jtafla.com), and our Facebook page. In addition, customers may call our customer service department at 904-630-3100, Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.”
She said, “JTA’s mission is to provide the best possible transit service to the citizens of Jacksonville, and our bus operators demonstrate their dedication to that mission each day. JTA is committed to the well-being of its employees, and looks forward to working diligently to reach an accord that will be sustainable.”
Updated Tuesday August 17 at 10:50 a.m.
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