Below is a letter from Jay Wyatt, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1091, to Terry Garcia Crews, general manager of StarTran Inc., the contractor that employs Capital Metro‘s bus drivers and maintenance workers:
Dear Ms. Crews:
ATU Local 1091 received your letter yesterday, and I agree to meet on November 7, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. to complete our contract negotiation process.
I would like to propose that both sides agree to City of Austin Council Member, Mike Martinez’s suggestion on last Friday, October 31, 2008.
He suggested that we agree to a two-year contract (July 2007-June 2009) with a retroactive pay increase of 3% for 2007-2008 and an increase of 2.5% for 2008-2009. The Union accepts StarTran’s September 11, 2008 proposed Healthcare package and StarTran eliminate your proposed tiered wage system demands.
I am in full agreement with his suggestion to settle this matter, and I would hope and pray that you agree also, so we can avoid a work stoppage on [Wednesday], November 5, 2008. If you disagree with this proposal I am making to you, then we all will know that you truly want a work stoppage to happen.
In all due respect, I request that you respond in writing to this letter by 4:00 p.m. today. Further, if you agree with my proposal, I will call off a work stoppage by 5:00 p.m. today.
Respectfully,
Joneth R. “Jay” Wyatt
ATU Local 1091 President & Business Agent
This article appears in John McCain.