Frustrations
bubble over as
bus employees meetTeamsters leaders say
the two-week strike has
generated a hefty dose
of public criticism
More than 250 striking city bus employees gathered at their union's headquarters yesterday for a three-hour meeting aimed at boosting morale and gearing up for a renewed round of contract talks with the company that manages the transit service.
The question-and-answer session centered on frustrations among those on the picket lines about the progress of negotiations between the Teamsters Local 996 and Oahu Transit Services Inc.
Some asked that the union reconsider its current proposal, which asks for a wage freeze in the first year with a 50 cent-an-hour increase in the second and third years of a new contract. Others insisted that the proposal be pursued, saying that the increase is needed to combat inflation and cost-of-living increases.
"I'm very satisfied with my wage," said one driver, a comment that drew applause from many audience members. "I'm not interested in any wage increase. I am interested in getting back to work."
Leo Kaiwalu, another driver, disagreed and also drew applause.
"This is for you and your family that we're doing this," she said. "We've got to stick together, no matter what is said out there on the line."
Union officials say they have been hit hard by public criticism of their strike, especially with recent comparisons of their salaries and the lower wages of firefighters, police officers and teachers.
A number of union members said the way they are being portrayed in news media reports has affected those on the picket line, even prompting some to question whether the salary increase is worth wages lost during the strike.
The meeting's turnout, noted as low by Teamsters President Mel Kahele, represents less than one-fifth of the 1,400 Teamsters members who walked off the job Aug. 26.
"It's all about unity. We're fighting like hell on the bargaining table to keep the stuff we've been enjoying," Kahele said.
"We have streamlined our cost package to the point where it's down to the bare bones."
Contract negotiations between the Teamsters and OTS broke off about midnight Thursday. Talks are scheduled to begin again at 2 p.m. today.
Kahele criticized Mayor Jeremy Harris for speaking out against the union when officials did not settle for a contract with no cutbacks or layoffs, but also no wage increases.
But Kahele said the current offering by the union is "a fair and reasonable proposal where nobody can call us greedy. We're very displeased with OTS and with the mayor for sticking his nose in our business."
In a statement released yesterday, the mayor said: "Mr. Kahele better get used to me sticking up for the taxpayers of this city. After all, they're the ones paying the bill."
At the meeting, Kahele announced the start of a "media blitz" by the union aimed at rebutting a similar campaign by OTS.
The company started running television and radio ads Saturday aimed at pressuring union members to settle.
"If they don't have money" to pay for wage increases, "then why are they waging a campaign against us?" Kahele asked, adding that the union's campaign will include the salaries of top managers at OTS.
The union's ads are expected to begin tomorrow in newspapers and on local radio and television stations.
BACK TO TOP |
Mayoral hopefuls say Harris
should defer long-term issues
Two former City Council members who are campaigning for next year's mayoral race say whoever succeeds Mayor Jeremy Harris should decide if the city can afford to give bus drivers a pay raise in the third year of a three-year contract.
Former City Councilman Duke Bainum said: "I certainly think he (Harris) has the right to make those commitments through the next budget cycle. I think after that, you can never tie the hands either of the administrative or the legislative side."
Former Council Chairman Mufi Hannemann said, "I'd rather have the flexibility to determine that based on my own assessment as opposed to the numbers that this current administration is saying is what the fiscal outlook is going to be like."
About 1,400 city bus company workers have been on strike since 12:04 a.m. Aug. 26.
Teamsters Local 996, which represents the striking workers, said last week that the sticking points in contract talks are wages and pensions. The union's last official offer was for a wage freeze for one year and 50 cent-an-hour wage increases in each of the following two years, although it has floated the idea of a two-year wage freeze.
Oahu Transit Services, the company that runs TheBus for the city, is offering a wage freeze for two years with a provision to open discussion on wages in the third year.
Although Harris is forbidden by law from participating in negotiations, he has said there is no money for pay raises through the term of the contract. He assured the union there would be no layoffs or service cutbacks.
While the Harris administration is responsible for crafting the city budgets that will cover the first two years of the contract, Harris will not be mayor in the third year. Five of the nine Council seats are also up for election next year.
Bainum said that currently he could not support a pay raise for bus workers.
"If the economy improves, if our revenues improve, that would be a different matter, but at this time, given the state of the city's budget, I cannot say at this time I would support pay raises three years away, nor would I commit to no layoffs."
Hannemann said that if the contract language gives him "flexibility" such as with a wage reopener, he would look at two things in determining if pay raises are possible. First, he'd look at the city's fiscal situation and, second, the issue of fairness "with respect to all other (collective bargaining) agreements that the city will have to review and enter into."
Harris suggested Friday that negotiations could be headed in a different direction with the possibility of a two-year contract instead of three.
"I understand they're talking about a shorter contract so that the commitment (of no cutbacks or layoffs) would be for the term of the contract," Harris said.
Hannemann said that if the union agrees to a shorter one- or two-year contract, that might be a way to resolve the strike.
"I think if (Harris is) only going to be there for another year, maybe what he should do is press for a year and leave it up to his successor to figure that out," Hannemann said.
