Bikeshare Workers Ratify Their First TWU Contract
JULY 16 -- Transport Workers Union Local 100 President John Samuelsen announced today that bikeshare members have overwhelmingly ratified their first union contract by an 83 percent margin (97-19). The four and a half year contract, the first for bikeshare workers in North America, covers nearly 200 workers employed by NYCBS-Motivate, which operates bikeshare in New York and other major American cities.
“I am gratified that the members have shown their strong support today in their ballots, as well as support throughout the process,” said Samuelsen. “This contract greatly improves the income and benefits of these dedicated workers and we are confident will lead to better service for bikeshare users.”
Under the agreement, the workers running the nation’s biggest bikeshare program win raises of more than 20% over the contract period. Full-time employees in NYC will get an immediate average 10% boost to their hourly rates, a key worker goal, and will receive periodic raises throughout the life of the agreement. The contract includes creation of an empowered Workers’ Council, another key union goal, to meet regularly with Motivate management. It will be a forum for worker representatives to propose operational changes and resolve work place problems.
The contract also mandates predictable and stable schedules for workers who will pick assignments through seniority. It establishes a system enabling workers to get priority for promotions. It also provides a grievance and discipline procedure to guarantee just cause. The union also won an array of other economic and benefit enhancements, including 8 weeks of fully paid parental leave, eight paid holidays, the establishment of substantial paid annual vacation, paid medical benefits and night differential .
In NYC, the TWU represents approximately 200 mechanics, technicians, call center agents and “re-balancers,” staffers who supply docking stations with bicycles in New York City. The union also represents 300 additional workers at Capital Bike in Washington D.C., Divvy in Chicago and Hubway in Boston, all operated by Motivate.