MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee County Transit System buses will be rolling on Thursday as usual. The threat of a bus driver strike has been averted after Milwaukee County responded to the transit union's latest contract proposal by Wednesday's deadline.
Even though buses will be on the roads as normal, negotiations for a new contract between the county and bus drivers continue. Union drivers want several guarantees, but transit authorities said the union is asking for more than the county's budget has to offer.
Around 100,000 people who depend on MCTS buses every day won't have to worry about finding another form of transportation in the near future. A back and forth battle between the county and its bus drivers continues to unfold but an immediate strike was averted.
"We made a deal with the company, we followed through on the deal," said Transit Union President James Macon.
Macon said the harsh deadline he set for the county comes after a year and a half of drivers operating without a new contract. Some bus operators want more money.
"I talked to my members who have been at MCTS for 8, 10 years. Their paycheck today is even smaller than their paycheck was back then," said union representative Daniel Teter.
The union's key demands are better benefits, restored routes and safer working conditions for female drivers who work overnight. The union would would like a security guard riding the bus with all female drivers on late shifts.
"This is my 28th year here at transit, I know I don't deserve to be treated like trash," said MCTS driver Joanne Hankins.
Milwaukee County Transit Director Dan Boehm said the county has been in touch with the transit union on a daily basis to strike a deal. The county is offering to have an independent third party come in to negotiate while agreeing to cover insurance co-pays for around 950 drivers.
"(The transit union) is continuing to hold out for more money than frankly Milwaukee County or the transit system has and that's just based on erroneous information," Boehm said.
Macon claims the county uses the transit system's yearly surplus funds to pay for other projects leaving bus drivers high and dry.
"The public should be (outraged) that they're taking public transportation money and bailing out the county because of their pension scandal," Macon said. "That's ridiculous and they've got to stop."
Macon said they're sending another counter proposal to the county. He said the union is willing to remove one of their previous demands which would allow drivers to carry guns.
MCTS sent us the following statement: "Today, MCTS presented ATU Local 998 with a new offer. We look forward to our next face-to-face negotiation meeting scheduled for November 6."
