SANTA CRUZ — Smart Local 23, the union for Santa Cruz Metro’s fixed route bus operators, finalized a labor contract Friday with Metro.
Sheet Metal Air Rail Transportation (SMART) Local 23, which serves fixed-route and ParaCruz drivers, ratified the agreement Thursday. Metro approved the agreement at a Board of Directors meeting Friday.
Prior to this ratification, the tentative agreement between the union and Metro was a three-year contract with a 4% pay increase in the first year, a 3% pay increase in the second and a 2.25% increase in the third. Under the latest agreement, the union made the choice to reduce members’ first-year pay increase to 2.8%, according to Jayme Ackemann, director of marketing, communications and customer service. She said the union did this so that drivers could continue to make double time on the seventh day of working overtime. Bus operators are paid time and a half for overtime but can make double time on the seventh day, according to Ackemann.
“Wage increases were fair,” said James Sandoval, general chairman for Smart Local 23, adding that they could have been better, but drivers wanted to get back to work and were “sad seeing so many people left behind” whose bus never showed up or was late.
Fixed route bus operators have refused overtime on multiple occasions throughout labor negotiations. Drivers’ latest refusal started Sunday and lasted until Friday, Sandoval said. Without drivers working overtime, routes have been cut or delayed. Metro CEO Alex Clifford released a letter to customers Aug. 16 explaining and apologizing for service disruptions.
Smart Local 23 announced it was accepting overtime again after the Board of Directors’ decision was made, Sandoval said.
A separate labor contract is needed for fixed route and ParaCruz operators. ParaCruz ratified its labor agreement with Metro earlier this month. Metro still needs to reach an agreement with Service Employees International Union Local 521. SEIU Local 521 serves mechanics, accountants, customer service staff and other service staff.