Beaumont transit workers again are appealing for public support instead of resorting to a strike, this time with a weekend rally.
Members of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1031 and their families will gather at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Martin Luther King Jr. Park in Beaumont to hear from speakers about negotiations so far and spark more public support.
ATU Local 1031 Vice President Amanda Haynes said local members still haven’t given up hope that they can reach a compromise with the transit authority’s management without a strike. But they need to find a way to raise up the voices of people that depend on their service.
“We are doing everything we can not to strike, including reaching out to city officials,” Haynes told the Enterprise. “This rally will bring awareness to more citizens, and maybe they can get up there and speak forth.”
The Amalgamated Transit Union last week announced that members of Local 1031 unanimously rejected what First Transit had called its “final offer” for a new contract. According to union leadership, 69% of eligible voters in the local cast a vote, all of which were against the offer and in favor of authorizing a potential strike.
But the vote to authorize a strike doesn’t necessarily mean one will happen. Instead, it gives ATU leadership permission from its members to make what it considers a last resort move if negotiations continue to stall.
First Transit was hired by the city of Beaumont last year to take over management of the transit system after the former provider declined to seek renewal of its contract.
According to the contract between the ATU and First Transit’s subsidiary, Transit Management of Beaumont, the union has to give the company a seven-day notice that it doesn’t want to extend the agreement that has been renewing each month since the last annual contract expired.
Since it took on the job and negotiations last October, First Transit said its subsidiary has met with the union about 10 times.
In a statement to the Enterprise, representatives from First Transit said it has continued to meet in good faith with the union but couldn’t meet the demands of the local if it wanted to and stay within the operating budget already set by the city.
The union also repeatedly has called on the city to intervene in the dispute with little response in return.
Beaumont City Manager Kyle Hayes on Wednesday told the Enterprise that the city’s lawyers have said that be against federal labor law to intervene in negotiations between the transit employees and the management company, as they technically are not city employees.
Even in the event of a strike, which Hayes said would be the first in his 27 years with the city, it ultimately would be up to First Transit and Transit Management of Beaumont to make sure the system continues to operate.
“There are employees that aren’t a part of the union. So, the contract would dictate and we would expect them to operate the system and keep it functioning safely,” Hayes said. “We would expect them to use the remaining employees to fill the gaps or bring in additional bus drivers and staff.”
Operating the system without union employees might not be possible for the management company, according to Haynes, as ATU members make up 28 of 43 employees.
Haynes said that members still wanted to avoid a strike at all costs, both to prevent an impact on their families and on their customers, but they are continually drifting into uncertain territory.
“Everything that we are doing is a first for us,” she said. “We’ve always had good negotiations. If we didn’t get what we wanted, we at least had a good compromise.”
jacob.dick@beaumontenterprise.com
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