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The Transport Workers Union Local 208 began a strike yesterday, bringing the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) bus service to a halt. Union leadership also reached a tentative agreement early yesterday morning with COTA administration, which would end the strike after one day if the contract was voted upon and approved by union members.
Instead, union members voted down the agreement last night, continuing the strike into day two today.
“I am outraged by the results of the Union vote and every taxpayer and bus rider in this community should be as well,” said COTA President & CEO Curtis Stitt. “COTA has bargained in good faith since September and the Union and its leadership have twice rejected fair and equitable contracts that mirror the Union’s own proposals.”
No further negotiations between the two parties is currently scheduled. A special meeting of the COTA Board of Trustees has been scheduled for today at 2 p.m.
“The Union’s rejection of a contract that was tentatively agreed upon by both sides was irresponsible,” said COTA Board Chair Dawn Tyler Lee. “The Union’s negotiating team has failed to meet their obligations as Union and community leaders and tonight’s vote confirms that they have no interest in coming to a resolution. The package is fair and equitable and should have been approved.”
Stitt added that the leadership at COTA will not allow the Union to hold the community hostage and will be considering alternative options for restoring transit service to a ridership that averages 60,000 trips per day.
“This is now our priority because we are committed to meeting the needs of our stakeholders: customers, taxpayers and COTA’s non-striking employees,” he said.
The 2012 edition of Red White & Boom takes place Downtown this evening, and is one of the busiest days of the year for COTA. With no bus service, public officials are warning event attendees to anticipate higher levels of automobile congestion for this year’s bicentennial festival.
“Arrive early,” advised Rick Tilton, Assistant Director at The Department of Public Service for The City of Columbus. “Residents are encouraged to bicycle or walk to Red, White & Boom as they are able, or to carpool. It is important to remind bicyclists to have a proper operating headlight and taillight on their bikes when riding after sunset.”
Beyond Red White & Boom, there’s no current indication as to when the strike will end, and no easy solution for assisting regular public transit riders with getting to work, to grocery stores or other daily activities.
“The transportation workers have made a harmful and irresponsible decision,” said Mayor Michael B. Coleman. “I urge both parties to come back to the bargaining table today.”
The Transport Workers Union Local 208 has been emailed for comment, but has not responded as of yet.
More information about the strike can be found online at www.cota.com/Strike_Notice.
More information about alternatives to COTA can be found HERE.
Additional ongoing discussion about the strike can be found HERE.
I am not pissed off, I am fuming furious at the Union for holding the community hostage. STOP ACTING LIKE TWO YEAR OLDS already! Enough is enough!
In other news, every bike shop in town is seeing increase in business. People in Columbus realize that providing their own cheap & quick, alternative transportation is easy with the bicycle. YAY Bikes!
Say what you want, all of you. But until you sat on a bus for 8 hours and drove up and down and then up and down again, say Cleveland Avenue, then speak only when you know the facts. One fact, everyday these bus drivers, babysit someone else’s kids, break up gang fights, protect the elderly, give a break to the lady short her fare, listen to a drunk ramble, ask people to move for elderly or handicap (cause it is hard to read the signs everywhere) get spit on and cussed out, avoid the traffic that has no respect for an enormous bus, all the while trying to get you where you need to be…..ON TIME. Imagine, everyday, hearing “aye man, this bus going to High Street”? Not once or twice but 100 times, same dude, same question, next day. Fact two, Drivers don’t want to not be at work, experiencing all the joy (see fact one). They have families. Some with one kid, some with four, some with a disabled child and mother, cousin, sister, brother etc. They have a good job and take care of others who are struggling. They take care of family, help neighbors, donate to their church. Fact three, Cota has money, you know this, cause you put it in the box, every-time you ride. So, riders are up 10% from last year, they scheduled 20 additional buses for Red White and Boom (must have lost a little money last year), they had 500,000.00 to pay security for a strike, and pay a mediator to side with them (of course). I don’t know any of you. I don’t know where you work. I don’t work for Cota. But, I pray (to God the Father) you never face “the man” who has money, telling you thank you for all your hard work, but he’ll be taking a little of your hard earned money, right back. Then charge you for a million little things. Then take even more next year. NO to four 10 hour days (cause its dangerous). NO to the huge increase in health care coverage. How about a decent increase? Pay the mechanics and bus cleaners a fair wage. Pay everyone who has been with Cota for five years a fair wage. Take care of those who take care of you! I’m talking to Cota and all of you who post. If you think they are all making close to 70k a year, you will believe ANYTHING. Seriously, nothing in your head said “no way that could be true?” If you think they are asking unfair anything, state the facts, don’t assume. You could find out anything you want to know with a little research. If you think the workers are not upset, distraught, fearful, hopeful, willing to bend, then you don’t know one. If the news reported the truth, this message board would read so differently. My dad died working for a company. Where it was hot, dangerous, changing and tiresome work. That union fought for every penny he made. You win some, you loose some. But, loose-loose, no way. Why would anyone in this economy, want to go on strike? That alone should tell you that these employees must be forced too. Faced with no other option. Get a CDL and grab a steering wheel, you will work for nothing….. but……..thats just what Cota’s looking for!
Journalism 101: Please present both sides of the argument. If history is any measure, Im sure the requests of union are TOTALLY OUTLANDISH. But based on your coverage we have no idea.
Not a word from the union here Walker? If they were not available for comment you should have said so.
Hello everyone,
I’m pretty new here. Im in desperate need of transportation to and from work due to this strike.
I live close to Bryden Rd and work in Dublin. My hours are 12 -8:30pm. I usually leave my house at 7:30 am, catch two buses and then walk an hour from the bus stop,to and from work. I usually get home about 11:30pm. So on working days I’m gone about 16 hours a day.
Now with no bus… I may lose my job. Before I found this position I was out of work for 1 1/2 years.
Ive called Rideshare Ohio and my information is in the data base but so far there’s no one who works close to my hours.
I’m willing to pay… Definitley willing to pay.
In this article, Stitt doesn’t seem much of a captain in control of his ship. He is outraged and is telling us we should be too. Unfortunately,’ the buck stops here’ seems to be lacking. I am upset at the unions, but I am also upset with Mr. Stitt.
“Stitt added that the leadership at COTA will not allow the Union to hold the community hostage and will be considering alternative options for restoring transit service to a ridership that averages 60,000 trips per day.”
I think he needs to be held to this and needs to be accountable to get the plan that he has prepared in motion quickly. Hopefully, the management has been looking into contingency measures in the many months leading up to this. I would like to think his job is on the line, as are a lot of his customers.
This strike has removed all faith I had in COTA. I loaned two bikes to friends who take the bus to work. My guess, is they will make this a habit even after the strike ends.
I’ve emailed the Union and will update the story when they respond. COTA issued a press release last night, and I wrote the story based on what was available. We’ll continue to cover it as more information is available.
Patience, people! ;)
Feel awful for the folks who can’t get to and from work.
Hopefully one day Ohio joins the 20th century and becomes a right-to-work state.
@mytoocentz: That’s why the drivers are paid rather handsomely with great bennies and tons of other specific non-tangibles. Clerks at the Muni and County courts probably make less than a bus driver and they put with as much if not more crap. Social Workers, with master degrees, make less than a bus driver; SOCIAL WORKERS.
This contract, and the last contract, did NOT reduce pay or bennies. Stop crying and come back to reality.
Also, guarantee your father worked in a private industry not a public realm where there is a plethora of regulations in place to protect workers. Sorry but I live in the 21st century not 1970.
@ Polis – So you’ve made assumptions on the working conditions of drivers, court clerks, social workers AND what sector mytoocentz’s dad worked in, and you’re telling mytoocentz to “come back to reality”?
Btw, it’s a little pointless to compare pay scales for various industries, because is it fair that the minimum pay for an nfl player is $375,000 when you look at what teachers and social workers make?
I apologize in advance for the rant and if I offend anyone’s sensibilities, however the post by “mytoocentz” has my blood boiling.
“One fact, everyday these bus drivers, babysit someone else’s kids, break up gang fights, protect the elderly, give a break to the lady short her fare, listen to a drunk ramble, ask people to move for elderly or handicap (cause it is hard to read the signs everywhere) get spit on and cussed out, avoid the traffic that has no respect for an enormous bus, all the while trying to get you where you need to be…..ON TIME. Imagine, everyday, hearing “aye man, this bus going to High Street”? Not once or twice but 100 times, same dude, same question, next day.”
Simply put: it’s part and parcel of the job. I have had similar experiences in my industry, however I continue to enjoy my work and the fruits of my labor. I work with the challenges I face on a daily basis, not despite them.
“Fact two, Drivers don’t want to not be at work, experiencing all the joy (see fact one). They have families. Some with one kid, some with four, some with a disabled child and mother, cousin, sister, brother etc. They have a good job and take care of others who are struggling. They take care of family, help neighbors, donate to their church.”
Forgive me for not realizing that COTA bus drivers and mechanics personal lives trump the importance of mine, or anyone else’s. Again, in the industry I work in, employees leave their families for days, sometimes weeks in order to provide for them. In addition, others are on call, and need to leave their families at a moment’s notice, all to provide for them. They too take care of others, be it family, neighbors, churches or other organizations.
“Fact three, Cota has money, you know this, cause you put it in the box, every-time you ride. ”
And that’s not enough to break even. COTA has money because the citizens of Franklin County support the system via a tax levy; not to mention wise decision-making from the system’s management over the past several years.
“I don’t know any of you. I don’t know where you work. I don’t work for Cota.”
Given your diatribe, you seriously expect anyone to believe THAT?
“But, I pray (to God the Father) you never face “the man” who has money, telling you thank you for all your hard work, but he’ll be taking a little of your hard earned money, right back.”
Been there, done that…on several occasions, actually. And given the state of our economy over the past several years, do you honestly think a scant few people have shared in such an experience?
“NO to four 10 hour days (cause its dangerous).”
When you have to fly a plane with 86 souls on board that depend on your performance after 10 hours in a day, get back to me.
“NO to the huge increase in health care coverage. How about a decent increase?”
They’re bitching about THAT? Why not be happy so still have decent health care coverage? Why not be happy to have AN INCREASE in salary? When your salary has been cut by a quarter, your pension liquidated, and your stock options rendered worthless by bankruptcy (all of which happened at my former employer), get back to me.
“Pay the mechanics and bus cleaners a fair wage. Pay everyone who has been with Cota for five years a fair wage.”
Ah yes, then the matter of salary. Despite the poster’s claim that simple research will yield a COTA bus driver’s salary (be it beginning, average, or top-out), I have not been able to find anything. However, for argument’s sake, let’s say the average COTA bus driver makes more along the lines of $35,000 a year. I wonder if people realize that’s about as much as a first officer gets paid at Republic Airlines. That’s right; being second in command of a metal tube hurtling through the air at 500 mph along with thousands of other metal tubes while carrying 80-some souls along for the ride yields the same salary as a bus driver. And keep in mind, pilots and flight crew members don’t get paid until the aircraft’s brakes are released. So the time an airline crew member spends at the airport getting their briefing, on the aircraft doing their preflight, and during the boarding process is essentially unpaid. Yet they do it, while under incredible pressure from management and passengers. And when’s the last time you saw an airline strike? Not only that, but the cost to become certified to pilot said metal tube GREATLY outweighs the cost to become licensed to drive a bus. To me, the demands from the COTA seem so absolutely trivial. Shame on them for their greed.
Walker – I’m not sure if you’ve got it here but it might be beneficial to have a list of alternatives to COTA with contact information for those who need an alternative to get around. Hit me up if you’d like help getting that together.
There’s a link at the bottom of the story to alternatives. Here it is again:
http://www.columbusunderground.com/alternatives-to-riding-cota
I am a COTA operator and I am appalled the latest contract was turned down by my co-workers. So don’t paint all of us with the same brush of criticism that I see here. I want to work and there are many just like me who feel the same way as I do.
Driving 10 hours a day isn’t difficult or unsafe. OTR drivers do it all the time. Yeah they don’t have a bus full of people, but that doesn’t make it any less difficult.
COTA is not the one who is holding the community hostage. The drivers are. Plain and simple.
@LostCause Thanks for speaking up. I am glad to actually hear from a driver. I TOO as appalled at this.
As a former member of the UFCW, my experience has been leadership has one idea and the members have a completely different idea. Sometimes they match, a lot of times they don’t.
CMHflyer. Read your post. Good points. When its pilot day, I will defend your right to be paid very well. I wonder if your “former company” took so much and you left, smiling and without a fight? If I worked for COTA, I would say so. Insinuating I am a liar, that my “diatribe” is not because I am the daughter of someone who had a union fight for her fathers rights, thats not enough? That stings a little. Have you ever taken the bus? For months? Watched what really goes on. I shared what I have witnessed. I am in awe of the drivers, yes awe. I know of one who was hospitalized. Attacked in his cock-pit, kinda. Did you hear of that? Research…… Every job that causes interaction with the public, directly, can be difficult. A bus driver at COTA starts out making $14.50. Research…….. found that bit of information. Very few drivers, who have been at COTA for many years (many, like enough years they could retire) and work overtime can and do make $70,000.00 A bus driver has my life in his hands. My arrival depends on him knowing where I need to be, how quickly and getting me there on time and safe. Kinda like a pilot, aye? I don’t want either getting paid minimum wage! I don’t want either flying or driving and feeling very unappreciated. Once again, cause I was not clear, I guess. The public hears what the news says and then, believes it. Many items are on the table in this fight. I spoke of 3. The total is 26, Research…….. I am defending the union that fights for the rights of the working man. I am defending the drivers, by saying, they are willing to seriously negotiate, but not work for very little. Surprise, they are not asking for Trump money, they are not all bad guys and girls. I am criticizing the media for being bias and not reporting both sides accurately. I am asking the public to believe, if just for a moment, that the COTA workers that I know, are sick over the fact that they are not driving you and your families to work, to the grocery, to school, to a job interview, to your friends and family. But especially today, to Americas celebration of freedom, Red, White and Boom! They enjoy their work too and the fruits of their labor. They DONT drive a bus aimlessly without effort, skill and pride!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Some voted yes, some are without power, all have heard something from the public and feel sick about this whole situation. Working at an airline, the BMV, Firemen, Police, Teachers etc….. All tough jobs. I pray (sincerely) those who work hard, don’t do it for nothing. I pray this is over soon. I pray it ends fairly and flyer….. I mean that for Cota, the workers and the tax-payers, the public! I will pray for you, that when you fly you are safe and that you hard work does not go un-noticed. God Bless you!
@Lostcause – can you elaborate more on what the union is asking for? A union rep was interviewed on 10tv last night and gave very vague answers.
“I wonder if your “former company” took so much and you left, smiling and without a fight?”
I found what I deemed to be a better job, and I left. It’s as simple as that.
“Have you ever taken the bus? For months? Watched what really goes on.”
I sure have. During my time at OSU, I took the #2 and #84 quite often. I now live in New York City, and I take the MTA bus and subway every day. By the way, if you want to see talented and skilled bus drivers that truly earn what they make, take an MTA bus. The fact that these guys and gals can maneuver a bus through the streets of NYC and maintain schedule is nothing short of amazing, not to mention the characters that step on the bus on a daily basis.
“A bus driver at COTA starts out making $14.50.”
That seems quite fair. That would mean a starting yearly salary of just over 30K, assuming 8 hours worked 5 times a week 52 weeks a year.
As for the rest of what you wrote, it goes without saying that a union action can be emotionally taxing and that members want better treatment for a hard day’s work. But given what I’ve read and seen, so far I am not convinced that COTA drivers, mechanics, and cleaners were forced into a position where striking was necessary to maintain any kind of liveable wage or work environment.
High Street looks unusually clean today. I don’t see all the drug dealers from Linden and the Hill Top hanging out on street corners. This must be life without COTA.