SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – Bus operators were still walking the picket line on Friday, even after Metropolitan Transit System approved a proposal in hopes of getting services up and running in full.
Jose Puga, who represents Teamsters 683, the union representing the bus operators, said, “Instead of dealing with the real issue, they threw money like corporate America does.”
Union leaders expressed a sharp reaction to the MTS proposal that was passed Thursday. In the proposal, Transdev, the third-party company hired by MTS, was offered $1 million on its contract, if the company can get all of the bus routes up and running.
This is an addition to the $21 million in new funding that the MTS Board authorized earlier this year, for a wage increase of $2 an hour for bus operators through June 2031.
Bus operators have been on strike for several weeks over stalled contract negotiations with Transdev, which is impacting a number of routes.
Many of the drivers gathered ahead of the meeting in front of the MTS building to unite, sending a message of opposition to this proposal.
The drivers are pushing for clean restrooms on their routes, fair wages, and a stop to split shifts. While union leaders said it will take more than this money to get bus operators back to work, Transdev officials said that even before the $1 million plan was approved, they had given the union the option to decide how to use the $1 million.
Transdev said they met with the union for about 10 hours about a tentative agreement involving a possible ratification in the near future.
ABC 10News learned the bus operators will be voting Sunday to determine if they approve of the most recent offer.
If they do, services could be up and running by Monday.
