IBT, Keolis Transit reach tentative agreement to end third RTC Washoe transit strike

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) said Teamsters Local 533 and Keolis Transit, the contractor for the Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County (RTC Washoe), have reach a tentative agreement as of Nov. 30. The agreement will be submitted for ratification and, if approved, the workers will return and transit operations will resume immediately.

Service on RTC Washoe’s network has been disrupted by a series of strikes that began in the summer and have stretched into fall. RTC Washoe has run contingency services, as well as offered rideshare and taxi vouchers to riders.

In a release regarding the deal, IBT credited United States Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh and IBT General President-elect Sean O’Brien with finding a resolution between Local 533 and Keolis Transit

Gary Watson, Local 533 president, noted the union’s transit workers were “deeply grateful to the community for their patience, understanding, compassion and overwhelming support.”

RTC Chair and City of Reno Vice Mayor Neoma Jardon was hopeful the progress with negotiations would bring and end to the third strike.

“I am encouraged that both parties have reached resolution on all issues in their Collective Bargaining Agreement. While this latest accord will need to be voted on by the Teamsters membership later this week, I am hopeful this will bring to an end the repetitive and harmful strikes and will return reliable transit service to our community. The end of this strike is an important first step in rebuilding our transit service,” said Jardon.

Update Dec. 2, 2021 4:50 pm from RTC Washoe:

Keolis transit employees will soon return to work after the Teamsters Local 533 union has agreed to end their third transit strike. Keolis and the Teamsters have now reached agreement on all the articles of negotiation and the RTC does not anticipate additional future strikes.

While transit passengers can expect to see more transit routes operating beginning on Saturday, December 4, 2021, not all trips on all routes will be running as the RTC ramps up the service levels.