Management

ATU reaches series of agreements with Pittsburgh Regional Transit, TARC and GO Transit

Nov. 21, 2022

The agreements end strike action at GO Transit and avoid strike action at TARC.

Three local branches of the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) reached agreements at two transit agencies in the U.S. and one in Canada.

GO Transit – ATU Local 1587

Metrolinx and ATU Local 1587 reached a tentative contract agreement in mid-November that ended a strike impacting GO Transit bus service between Nov. 6 – Nov. 11. GO Bus service resumed Saturday, Nov. 12.

The use of contractors was a point of contention for labor leaders, and ATU says the new contract ensures “includes critical language that would protect GO Transit jobs from being contracted out.”

ATU Local 1587 represents GO Transit bus drivers, GO station attendants, maintenance personnel, transit safety and some office staff.

TARC – ATU Local 1447

In Louisville, Ky., Transit Authority of River City (TARC) and ATU Local 1447 reached a tentative agreement that will provide equal wage increases for all workers, additional safety protections and create an apprenticeship program in the maintenance department.

ATU Local 1447 membership will take a ratification vote of the agreement after Thanksgiving, which is Nov. 24. The TARC Board of Directors will also vote to ratify the agreement.

PRT – ATU Local 85

The Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) Board approved a four-year Collective Bargaining Agreement with ATU Local 85, which covers PRT drivers, mechanics and other laborers. Union members ratified the agreement on Nov. 13.

The previous agreement expired June 30, 2022, and the new agreement includes wage increases, pandemic bonuses and changes to work and discipline rules. The agreement also reduces the number of schedule adjustments each year, providing transit planners more time to analyze ridership trends, so they can make more informed scheduling decisions.

About the Author

Mischa Wanek-Libman | Editor in Chief

Mischa Wanek-Libman serves as editor in chief of Mass Transit magazine. She is responsible for developing and maintaining the magazine’s editorial direction and is based in the western suburbs of Chicago.

Wanek-Libman has spent more than 20 years covering transportation issues including construction projects and engineering challenges for various commuter railroads and transit agencies. She has been recognized for editorial excellence through her individual work, as well as for collaborative content.

She is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association's Marketing and Communications Committee and serves as a Board Observer on the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors.

She is a graduate of Drake University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication with a major in magazine journalism and a minor in business management.