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Settlement averts Green Mountain Transit strike

By David Delcore
TIMES ARGUS
MONTPELIER, Vt. — It isn’t yet a done deal, but a “tentative agreement” has been reached and a threatened strike that could have sidelined Green Mountain Transit’s buses in central Vermont and St. Albans heading into the weekend has been averted.

The product of a week-ending negotiation session the agreement is in the process of being ratified by members of the bargaining unit that represents GMT’s rural drivers.

Curtis Clough, recording secretary and business agent for Teamsters Local 597, said that process started Sunday when central Vermont drivers ratified the just-negotiated three-year agreement by a lopsided margin that was more than enough to offset any unanticipated resistance when St. Albans drivers consider the contract today.

Though drivers were prepared to strike on Friday if an agreement wasn’t reached by then, Clough said he was confident that would no longer be necessary given progress that was made on what remained a “sticking point” in negotiations after a neutral factfinder recommended a proposed settlement earlier this year.

At issue was a family health insurance benefit the union bargained away in exchange for a sizable wage adjustments reflected in a three-year contract that expired last June.

Given the history of the issue, which saw the union voluntarily give up family coverage in exchange for a more significant pay raise, the factfinder sided with GMT negotiators on that issue, suggesting any change should be the product of negotiations.

It was on Friday, and Clough said that under the terms of the tentative agreement, GMT will continue to cover 100% of the cost of single plans while again contributing to the cost of two-person and family plans.

The tentative agreement requires GMT to cover the full cost of employee health insurance benefits and up to 85% of the additional cost of two-person and family plans. Employees, who have worked for GMT for 10 or more years would be entitled to the 85% offer, while those with less than 10 years on the job would have 75% of those additional health care costs covered.

Over the three year life of the contract, which — once ratified by the union and the GMT board — will be retroactive to July 1 that collectively amounts to $42,000 in savings for unionized drivers.

Clough said a strike that idled buses wouldn’t have been in anyone’s interest. and he was happy it didn’t come to that.

“I’m happier about the fact that they (rural drivers) will be able to go on vacations and pay their mortgages,” he said.

GMT announced the tentative settlement Monday and indicated its board was expected to ratify the agreement when it meets next Tuesday.

“GMT values all of its employees and greatly respects the hard work and dedication of its rural route drivers,” the organization wrote in a prepared statement. “We are thrilled to have a tentative agreement with the rural drivers bargaining unit that values and respects their contributions to our organization.”

Contacted Monday, GMT Chair Bonnie Waninger said that fairly characterizes GMT’s position.

“We’re pleased we could come to an agreement GMT could pay for,” she said of the proposed three-year contract.

In addition to increased wages and bonuses, the tentative agreement includes no-cost health, vision, and dental insurance for employees and affordable coverage for families.

Waninger acknowledged the latter was the subject of negotiations that resumed and concluded on Friday.

From GMT’s perspective, the agreement also provides employees generous time off and scheduling to provide flexibility and downtime in what can be a stressful and demanding job.

Heading into last week’s negotiations, GMT officials signaled a willingness to modify its position after recently indicating it would accept the factfinder’s report in its entirety. That included several areas — wages among them — that embraced the union’s position.

Though GMT board agreed the report reflected its best and final offer, General Manager Jon Moore said members didn’t take the threat of a work stoppage lightly.

“The company is glad it worked out,” he said. “We had a lot of confidence we could reach an agreement, but you just never know.”

According to Moore Friday’s bargaining session, which focused on a single issue, took nearly eight hours. The end result, he said, was “a fair and reasonable agreement.”

Once the union completes its ratification process and the board follows suit next week, GMT will have finalized the last of three contracts. All are three-year deals that replaced agreements that expired June 30. One involves GMT’s maintenance personnel, while the other two involve drivers.

GMT wrapped up separate negotiations with drivers in its urban division, which provides service in Chittenden County, as well as its maintenance personnel last fall. The rural drivers, most of whom are employed in central Vermont, have been working under the terms of an expired contract since last July.

david.delcore @timesargus.com

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