UPDATE

JUNE 20, 2009

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ECAT - County Commissioners did not vote to support the proposed gas tax for ECAT.  Commissioners Young, Valentino, and Robinson voted for the gas tax.  Commissioners Robertson and White voted against the gas tax.  The vote required a super majority of four yes votes.

ECAT - Bus Operator Andrea Whiting was terminated.  Union President Mike Lowery reviewed the case and filed a grievance on her behalf.  Whiting was fired for threating a passenger and using vulgar language against a passenger.  After investigating the situation Lowery determined that Whiting went to 6 ECAT Operation Managers prior to the incident looking for assistance.  The Union feels that ECAT Management failed to help Operator Whiting from this passenger.  The grievance is scheduled to be heard on June 26th.

ECAT - Union President Mike Lowery has been on vacation for the last 3 weeks and has asked ECAT Management to hold off on negotiating the impact of the ZONAR/GPS system till he returns in the beginning of July.

DURHAM - The decertification election has been postponed till return of the workers in August or September.  The NLRB ruled that an agreement could not be reached between the ATU Local 1395 and Durham School Services for a date, location, and times for an election to be held.  Durham School Services attorney wanted the election to be held at specfic poll locations for obvious reasons to ensure anti-union voters would be able to vote during the summer.  The Union argued that if a vote was to be held during the summer months while workers were off a central location was needed.  No agreement could be reached and therefore nothing will happen till end of August or into September.

DURHAM - Union to propose more dates to continue to negotiate the renewal contract.  Local 1395 will be offering some more dates and times to meet with Durham Management on contract negotiations.  Lowery hopes that a date can be set in July or at least in early August.  "We still have to continue to negotiate the Mechanics contract" states Lowery.  Union officers feel Durham is not really making a true effort to negotiate the Driver/Monitor contract as long as there is a decertification election in the near future.

DURHAM - The arbitration for Deborah Fiss was scheduled for June 19th but on June 16th the arbitrator cancelled the hearing for personal reasons.  A new date has not been offered but the Union hopes it will be in July.

COUNTY - PERC has dismissed three unfair labor practices filed by the ATU Local 1395.  The ULP's were for failing to recognize two grievances and not bargaining with the ATU over contract issues. 

COUNTY - The ULP over the wage increase for 07/08 is still pending with PERC and will be tied into an IMPASSE which should be scheduled in the near future.  We will keep you updated as information becomes available.

DOMINOS - Union President Mike Lowery has asked the Company attorney to offer more dates for negotiations in July.

PBT - No pending issues have been noted at this time.