CATS Union workers are predominant to a strike after a supposed salaries – Better Baton Rouge Business Report

Transit Union employees of Capital transit system are “closer than ever” to strike after cats surrounded the negotiations with the Union to impose their own employment contract at the end of January, according to the Union leadership.

Anthony Garland, the International Vice President for Reporting Union 1546.He says Daily report That the cats have taken a firm position by applying their own contractual terms without the approval of the Union in an attempt to avoid strike – a move that only serves to decay more tension between the two sides.

Garland says the new treaty includes several positions that the Union agreed with in the negotiations but does not deal with the salaries that are central to the demands of the Union. In fact, he says the contract actually imposes a three -year freezing of a salary increase.

“We cannot allow a company to impose and perform its own employment contract for its workforce,” says Garland. “If we do this, they will not agree with anything the union says when we go to the table. They will just apply what they want. Now we have no choice but to strike. “

The new treaty also includes changes in discipline, complaint and overtime policies that have been made without the Union’s contribution, Garland says. The organizers of the Union are already gathering in Baton Rouge to discuss their next steps.

However, cats say that it continues to act without a new contract and that it is ready to continue with the arbitration of interest rates to bring the dispute to just and timely resolution. Earlier, the agency claims that there are no adequate funds to respond to the Union’s demands.

“Cats remain fully committed to providing a fair and fair contract that benefits our employees, clients and the wider community,” a statement provided to Daily report Reading. “Although the possibility of strike is a problem, cats are focused on finding a quick resolution to prevent any interruption of the service.”

Stanley Racus, a senior organizer with ATU, says it is difficult to collect data to order a report on cat funds. His analysis found that the agency’s administrative salaries make up a disproportionate share of its budget.

According to Smalls, 53 CATS managers collectively earn $ 4 million salaries, while $ 153 union workers share a $ 7 million salary. These figures have not been checked regardless of Daily reportS

While both Garland and a ladder refused to speculate when the strike can start exactly, Sills says that workers will leave work within the next 30 days if no resolution is achieved. ATU 1546 and CATS have previously agreed to extend their old employment contract – original to expire on December 31 – through January 31.

The tension between ATU 1546 and cats for their employment contract began to be boiled late last year. The Union says that transit workers in the parish of Jefferson, New Orleans and Shrevport make about $ 4 or $ 5 more an hour than cat workers. Union members voted to allow a strike in late January.