STAR has recently become acquainted with Amalgamated Transit Union Local 256 members and has opened communication channels and dialog.  STAR is hoping to foster a partnership with ATU in order to yield strengthened transit-oriented voices that can come to the table as a coalition and pursue like-minded goals.

During the past month a STAR action team member attended an ATU membership meeting as a transit advocate guest.  The meeting discussion was focused on current labor contract deliberations with Sacramento Regional Transit for operators of the SacRT GO Paratransit Services.  ATU is pushing for a SacRT GO operators’ contract that delivers wages and benefits at parity with fixed-route bus operators.  STAR learned at the membership meeting that several phases of discussions between ATU and Sac RT have occurred but a mutually-satisfactory agreement has not yet been reached.  STAR also learned that the general trajectory of the talks is so far not in favor of the ATU operators’ contractual wishes.

STAR feels that there are compelling reasons to provide parity compensation for SacRT GO operators.  The specialty customer service requirements needed to do justice to the community of clients that use this service are of a very specific nature and require a distinct set of skills and competencies.  These include full and patient attentiveness and administration of specialized vehicle preparation, entry, riding, and exit procedures, as well as efficient and careful navigation of point-to-point locations.  In addition, statements from both SacRT GO operators and customers alike reveal a very real sense of family and accountability between these groups that transcends the basics of the service itself. 

In many cases SacRT GO operators are fully engaged during their regular shifts and push on through overtime to provide their much-needed service to their customers.  These operators manifest a deep allegiance and answerability to the customers that they serve and show that they are willing to go above-and-beyond the basic parameters of the service to provide a true equity experience to those who rely on the SacRT GO resource.  And, although not all Sac GO operators are driving the entirety of their shift every day, the on-demand nature of their work requires constant readiness to respond.

STAR stands with and for ATU goals for the SacRT GO operators’ compensation package and contract.  STAR urges Sac RT to do the necessary resource planning to bring SacRT GO operator compensation into with parity with that of fixed-route bus operators.  Furthermore, while STAR is aware of the ‘Me Too’ clause that is currently part of the fixed-route bus operator contract, STAR urges Sac RT to be mindful to not use this as a reason to neglect SacRT GO operator contract outcomes to at least reach parity with current fixed-route compensation packages.

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