An RTD Strike and You

As we approach the February 28 deadline of the three-year Regional Transportation District's union contracts, it's still unclear what if anything will happen with the negotiations between RTD's union and RTD. 

First a slight bit of background. Using the bad economy as an excuse, RTD wants its union contract to have a three-year wage freeze. RTD also wants to take control of the union's health care and benefits system. Of course, the union doesn't like agreeing to the wage freeze and especially not the loss of control of their benefits, which was one of the main issues that resulted in the union's strike that paralyzed Denver transit for a week in 2006. 

On Thursday, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1001 (the union that represents many RTD workers, mostly drivers and mechanical operators) filed an intent to strike with the Colorado Department of Labor, a formality required by law for any union considering even the possibility of striking. The union actually wants the state labor department to deny its intent to strike, because it instead wants the state to take the case to a binding third party arbitrator, which the union said it feels would better fulfill its goals, because the decisions of that arbitrator are binding to both the union and RTD. At the department of labor meeting on Thursday were dozens of blind and disabled transit riders who also encouraged the state to deny the union's intent to strike and instead move the case to arbitration. The state has the ability to deny intents to strike if it feels such a strike would put public peace, health or safety at risk. That message was certainly what the disabled riders were trying to convey by attending the public meeting.

RTD actually prefers the union to strike instead of going to arbitration because that process could end up costing RTD more money that it says it has the ability to spend. 

“(Arbitration) would have a chilling impact on both sides to negotiate in good faith,” Cal Marsella, RTD general manager and chief executive told the Denver Daily News.

RTD is arguing that arbitration would put the transit union at a privileged position, and if the union wins many of its concessions, the agency may have to make even deeper and harder cuts to service.  However, that was not actually at issue at Thursday's meeting. The state doesn't care about what effects the strike will have on either the union or the agency, they only care about its effect on the public. And in that regard, RTD actually had to argue to the state that a strike really wouldn't be that big of a deal.

“The human being is a remarkable animal in its ability to adapt,” said Bruce Abel, RTD’s assistant general manager for customer services at Thursday's meeting.

Abel said that RTD has a contingency plan that will allow 43 percent of busses to run during the strike by using private contractors not associated with the union.

But the reality is that an RTD strike really will have a significant effect on all of us in Denver. Since the 2006 strike, the transit union has organized many of the workers in the three private contractors that RTD uses, making it much harder for the agency to use replacement workers during the strike. If a strike were to occur some of the most popular pieces of the system would be ground to a halt including the two most ridden busses the 15 and the O, the B bus that connects Denver to Boulder and all light rail. The disabled riders at the meeting were certainly alarmed by the prospect of another strike, with many recounting stories of not being able to attend doctor's appointments or pick up medications during the last strike. Even first responders such as firefighters and paramedics spoke out against the strike, stating that it would significantly increase road congestion, making their ability to get to where they need harder and more time consuming.

But RTD doesn't care. For the agency, the strike is twofer: A week or more of significantly reduced service allows the agency to save millions and with a strike, the agency is in a more privileged position to put public goodwill against the union get more concessions from the union on wages and benefits. 

I think the union has every right to be concerned with RTD's proposed contracts. Why should they agree to a three-year salary freeze for an economy that may only be bad for one year? And certainly losing control of hard-won benefits for what is a fairly crappy and even dangerous job is not something the union would want. The union might consider agreeing to a one-year salary freeze to be re-evaluated as the economy gets better and some benefit concessions, but I don't think they should consider the horrible deal RTD is offering them.

But basically the cretins at RTD would rather screw over its workers and the public at large to squeeze a small amount of savings from its employees. This despite the fact that the agency's own mismanagement is more to blame for its financial predicament then the flimsy "bad economy" excuse. 

In less than a week, the union contract expires. Hopefully, both sides will come to an agreement or the state will force both sides into arbitration before then. A strike would horrible for everyone in Denver and potentially disastrous for those who are dependent on transit just to live. 

RTD needs to stop playing games with Denver and avoid a strike. Here is the contact information for the Colorado Division of Labor. Please tell them how the strike could effect you and urge them to force RTD into arbitration.