TWU Settles MTA Bus Contract; Benefits Include Path to Pension Parity
The MTA Bus bargaining committee, headed by Local 100 President John Samuelsen, announced they had reached an agreement with the MTA to settle the unit's oustanding contract with a deal that is retroactive to January 15, 2012. Raises, in step with those won by TWU Local 100's members in TA and OA titles, will be awarded after ratification by the membership. Those raises include full retroactive pay and wage increases in every year. The Local 100 Executive Board approved the signed agreement yesterday by a vote of 35-1, and it was unanimously endorsed by the TWU MTA Bus negotiating committee under the leadership of VP John Day and Division Chair Hector Comrie. The agreement includes pension gains without any concessions, wage increases in every year, full retroactive pay and a host of benefit improvements. Of critical importance to the membership, the parties agreed that the issue of pension parity with TA and OA members will be submitted to an arbitrator, with the arbitrator taking that goal as his objective. MTA Bus includes formerly private bus companies which were absorbed into the MTA and primarily operate in Queens. For a look at the contract highlights, click here.