A years-long fight ended in victory last Friday as DDOT bus drivers ratified a new contract that gives them a $6-per-hour wage boost. “[Union] members are ecstatic,” drivers’ union president Schetrone Collier said Thursday at a press conference that featured Mayor Duggan and Mayor-elect Mary Sheffield. The contract is great news for both bus drivers and for the riders who depend on them.
The new starting wage will be $25/hour, up from just $15/hour several years ago, and just short of what SMART drivers currently earn. DDOT drivers, however, will also be eligible to receive bonuses for attendance and safe driving. The new contract also shortens the progression to the top wage (now $32/hour) from four years to three.
TRU, the drivers’ union (Amalgamated Transit Union Local 26) and our allies have advocated for years for higher wages for our bus drivers, as a matter of basic fairness and in order to stem high rates of turnover in the workforce – a direct result of low wages. We’ve sent hundreds of e-mails, postcards and phone calls to the Mayor, and shown up at dozens of public meetings to make sure he heard us loud and clear. Thank you to everyone who took action to make this win possible!
DDOT mechanics and road supervisors remain in negotiations with the City. We’re hopeful that they’ll see significant pay increases as well.
According to DDOT Director Robert Cramer, as of last month DDOT had 492 drivers on staff, short of its goal of 524. Over the past year, DDOT has managed to grow the ranks of drivers through continuous training of new recruits, but many new drivers soon depart for higher-paying jobs elsewhere. The new contract will help to fix that problem.
Unfortunately, DDOT also has a shortage of operable buses. As a result, the department will be holding a public hearing Nov. 20 on modest mid-day frequency reductions on some routes. We’re hopeful that the arrival of new buses in coming months will allow DDOT to continue expanding service.