UPDATE:
With the driver strike over, RTC bus service returned to full capacity today, Saturday August 14, 2021. Not all routes left on time but all bus lines are running.
Officials with the local union, Teamsters Local 533 as well as officials from RTC say the bus driver strike that lasted ten days is coming to an end. Drivers, dispatchers, and maintenance employees will resume work as early as Friday, August 13 and no later than Saturday, August 14
The union announced it has reached a tentative agreement with Keolis Transit on healthcare. RTC has confirmed this statement. Keolis representatives say they are optimistic that a resolution has been reached.
"The Union looks forward to Keolis meeting us at the bargaining table with good intentions and bargaining in good faith moving forward. We are glad our members are getting back to work doing what they do best, servicing the transit passengers in the Reno, Sparks and Washoe County region," Teamsters President Gary Watson said.
RTC confirmed Thursday night that the strike is now over. "On behalf of the RTC, I want to thank Keolis and the Teamsters for coming together for the greater good of our community and end the strike. A huge thank you to Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve who worked diligently behind the scenes to bring the parties together after a meeting scheduled for Tuesday afternoon did not come to fruition," RTC Chair Neoma Jardon said.
The union says workers who have been on strike have until Saturday to return to work. Any employees who wish, may report for work Friday and are allowed to service any available route, according to the union. Transit schedules will return to normal as soon as possible, most likely by Saturday at the latest, according to RTC.
Keolis released this statement:
Keolis North America (Keolis), the Regional Transportation Commission’s (RTC) operating partner for fixed-route bus operations, has reached an agreement with Teamsters Local 533 President Gary Watson to end the work stoppage and resume CBA negotiations with the assistance of a federal mediator.
“We are pleased that union leadership has agreed to resume work and to continue the collective-bargaining process with the assistance of a federal mediator,” said Phil Pumphrey, Keolis General Manager. “Keolis will work with our drivers, dispatchers and mechanics to resume normal operations as early as this weekend. The well-being of our employees and the delivery of safe and reliable transit service for our passengers will continue to be our top priority at Keolis.”
Union leadership recently accepted Keolis’ offer to resume negotiations and to receive contributions to their preferred health plan at a favorable rate. Formal negotiations will resume with the participation of a federal mediator, and the union has agreed not to stop work while negotiations continue with this third-party participation. Negotiations will continue as both parties work to reach a CBA that satisfies all parties.
Keolis operates and maintains operations around Nevada and the United States and has successfully negotiated numerous agreements with its bargaining unit employees.
Drivers, dispatchers, and maintenance employees will resume work as early as Friday, August 13 and no later than Saturday, August 14. The well-being of employees and the delivery of safe and reliable transit service for passengers continue to be the top priorities for Keolis. During the work stoppage, employees and managers delivered the maximum amount of service possible to the RTC’s most transit-dependent communities.
UPDATE:
Keolis released a statement on Tuesday as the bus strike enters its ninth day.
Officials said Keolis continues to offer the union, Teamsters Local 533 options to meet and resume CBA negotiations.
On Tuesday, Keolis released a memo to employees updating them on the situation. They allege delays in signing a new CBA are due to the union refusing to negotiate and refusing to meet with Keolis. They say they tried to meet with the Teamsters Union president, Gary Watson, on Tuesday, but he never showed up.
Watson says a health care agreement is the main reason for the strike. Watson tells 2 News they will go back to work once Keolis signs the tentative health care agreement keeping the plan they currently have.
Keolis says they are ready to sign it as long as it includes an extension of the contract or guaranteeing there won't be more strikes. Watson wants Keolis to sign it with no stipulations.
Keolis claims they are offering a three percent wage increase upon contract signing, followed by an additional three percent wage increase in 2022. That proposal was communicated on July 1, according to Keolis. They also allege employee health care was never under fire, but the company planned on increasing their contribution.
You can read the memo they released below:
Routes 1, 7 and 11 are still in service. Carson City connector routes are scheduled for two trips per day.
Contingency services are still available through FlexRIDE for essential trips and emergency options through UberX and taxi services are also available.
Managers from alternate locations arrived over the weekend to help.
Keolis says they continue to hire drivers and a new class is expected to begin this month.
“From day one of negotiations, providing healthcare has – unequivocally – been central to our CBA offer, and we look forward to resuming those negotiations after offering 30 opportunities to do so in August,” said Jenny Fahlbush, Keolis spokesperson. “Keolis has very productive working relationships with dozens of labor organizations across the United States and we look forward to building a similar rapport with Teamsters Local 533 here in Reno where we’ve operated for more than two years.”
Rivers are urged to visit rtcwashoe.com to continue to check for ride availability.
Keolis released an old document, showing proposed dates for negotiations below:
Original Story: Regional transportation officials have suspended bus service Thursday on all but three routes in Reno-Sparks and Carson City as a strike by about 200 union drivers moves into its third day.
Teamsters Union Local 533 went on strike at noon Tuesday, citing an impasse in negotiations with RTC Washoe bus service contractor Keolis.
The previous collective bargaining agreement expired July 1.
RTC announced Thursday that it will operate three routes in both directions on a reduced schedule out of the downtown Reno bus station: one each south to Meadowood Mall and east Sparks along with the regional connection to Carson City.
A list of contingency services is available here.
If you need a ride, you can also call:
- Whittlesea Taxi: 775-322-2222
- Reno Sparks Cab Company: 775-333-3333
RTC says it is working with Keolis to put out a modified transit service with a focus on the busiest routes. Managers will be driving zone around the RIDE routes to do wellness checks for anyone at a bus stop and offer water and emergency transportation if necessary.
RTC ACCESS drivers who are driving their routes are picking up people who may be waiting at bus stops.
In the interim, transit customers are urged to make alternate transportation plans during this disruption of service. Rides on routes that will be operating will be free of charge during the strike. Transit customers with current passes will be given extensions.
Teamsters Local 533 who provides the drivers cites "unresolved unfair labor practice charges, bad faith bargaining, contract violations and refusal to arbitrate disputes" for going on strike.
"We've spent over a year encouraging the contractor for RTC bus system, Keolis Corporation, to act as a fair employer and community investor, without success," said Teamsters Local 533 President Gary Watson.
Keolis confirmed to 2 News that they have not yet reached a collective bargaining agreement, and that the official strike began today.
“Keolis is committed to providing safe and reliable transit for passengers, and to providing a safe and comfortable workplace for employees. While today's actions by Teamsters Local 533 are disappointing, Keolis will continue to work with the employees and the RTC to provide passengers a predictable level of service, and continue to work towards agreement on a CBA," says Jenny Fahlbush, VP Marketing, Communications, and Corporate Affairs for Keolis.
RTC tells 2 News drivers walked off the job around noon on Tuesday, August 3.
Keolis says the Lincoln Line and the Carson City Line are still running and they're counting on those who chose not to strike as well as non-union bus drivers to cover some routes.
We are still waiting to hear back on a plan from RTC for services in the near future.
You can read a statement from the union, Teamsters Local 533 below:
After more than a year of unresolved unfair labor practice charges, bad faith bargaining, contract violations and refusal to arbitrate disputes, Regional Transportation Commission Washoe bus system employees and Teamsters Local 533 members have begun striking to hold RTC's for-profit operator, Keolis Corporation, accountable for their employee mistreatment.
"We've spent over a year encouraging the contractor for RTC bus system, Keolis Corporation, to act as a fair employer and community investor, without success," said Teamsters Local 533 President Gary Watson.
"Keolis answers to no one. We encourage the community to stand with us in holding them accountable and join the protest against these unfair and unreliable conditions."
"At the latest bargaining session last week, Keolis made a proposal to eliminate Teamsters Health insurance with 60 days notice. We told Keolis the proposal is a poison pill and violates the Health and Welfare Trust Agreement. Keolis refuses to withdraw this language."
The employees and Teamsters Local 533 members will conduct a picket line strike, protesting a litany of unfair labor practices that are crippling the RTC bus system. A strike sanction for Teamsters 533 was passed unanimously by Teamsters Joint Council 7 and the Northern Nevada Central Labor Council last month.
Keolis Corporation also put RTC employees and Teamsters Local 533 members in direct danger by refusing to implement local, state, and federal mask and social distancing COVID-19 requirements and ordering drivers not to enforce these measures under threat of firing.After violating these safety measures, they also refused to give the union information on the dozens of employees who contracted COVID-19, at least two of whom were admitted to intensive care. Keolis Corporation also employed fewer drivers, cut overtime and ignored safety measures to enhance their profits.
This disgraceful mismanagement has left riders stranded, confused and upset. As a result, drivers bear the brunt of Keolis' failures, facing harassment and abuse from angry passengers.
Last year, the Keolis Corporation received over $15 million in government support from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, despite the public transit system already receiving 90 percent of its funding with state and federal taxes - dollars that have empowered Keolis to abuse and neglect its workforce.
The RTC is also expected to receive $19 million allocated in the American Rescue Plan, though it is not yet clear if those funds have been received.
"The coach operators, technicians, road supervisors, utility workers and dispatchers who risked their lives during the pandemic deserve better and cannot take the mismanagement by Keolis any longer," Watson said.
"They are not to blame for Keolis Corporation's failures, and we will not tolerate Keolis' do-nothing approach any longer."
RTC also issued this statement below:
RTC contracts with Keolis Transit America to operate the fixed route (RIDE) transit system in Washoe County. Unfortunately, Teamsters Local 533 has decided to strike and has instructed Keolis’ union employees to stop work.
RTC is extremely disappointed with Teamsters’ decision to strike. RTC expected both Keolis and Teamsters to negotiate in good faith. RTC is satisfied that Keolis has been attempting to negotiate in good faith, but does not believe the same can be said about Teamsters. Teamsters has been threatening to strike during Hot August Nights since at least May of this year, before even sitting down at the bargaining table with Keolis. Teamsters agreed to sit down for a single one hour meeting at the beginning of June, and then refused to sit down for another meeting until just last week. On Monday, July 26, Keolis also proposed additional meetings but all dates were rejected by the Teamsters.
RTC and its Board are not a party to the negotiations and are legally prohibited from participating. RTC expects that the parties will only be able to reach a reasonable and satisfactory agreement by sitting down at the bargaining table to negotiate reasonably and in good faith.
Unfortunately, Teamsters’ decision to strike will have significant impacts to transit riders in our community. RTC understands the urgency of mitigating those impacts, and in anticipation of a potential strike, Keolis has prepared contingency plans. RTC will provide a complete list of contingency service, as it becomes available, at rtcwashoe.com.
(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
