Omnitrans, Teamsters Agree to 3-Year Contract

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. - Jan. 8, 2014 - PRLog -- Teamsters employees at Omnitrans will see their first wage increase in six years next July, when a 2.5% raise will kick in, under terms of a new 3-year agreement. The following year wages will increase 2.75%. Agency contributions to employee benefits will also rise.

Teamsters Union Local #166 represents approximately 126 Omnitrans employees in the maintenance and administrative support units.  (Omnitrans drivers belong to the Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 1704.)  Teamsters members voted to approve the new contract terms in December and the Omnitrans Board of Directors ratified the contract at their January 8, 2014 meeting.  The prior contract expired on June 30, 2013.

Summary of contract terms:

Year 1: July 1, 2013- June 30, 2014

·       Wages: 0%

·       Benefit Allowance: $70.00/month increase (effective January 2014)

·       Stipend: $500

Year 2: July 1, 2014 - June 30, 2015

·       Wages: 2.5% increase

·       Benefit Allowance: $55.00/month increase (effective September 2014)

Year 3: July 1, 2015 - June 30, 2016

·       Wages: 2.75%

·       Benefit Allowance: $50.00/month increase (effective September 2015)

The contract also sets caps on the amount of benefit allowance money that can go into an employee deferred compensation account, if any funds are available after all benefits are paid.  The cap will be $250 per month the first year, $225 per month the second year and $200 per month the third year.

“Our Teamsters employees demonstrated their commitment to Omnitrans and Omnitrans riders, by partnering with us to control costs during bad economic times,” said Omnitrans Interim CEO/General Manager Scott Graham.  “We are pleased to be able end the wage freeze plus help offset the ever-increasing cost of healthcare through benefit contribution increases.”

Omnitrans Teamsters employees have not had a wage increase since July 2008 and have not had their benefit allowance increased since September 2010.