Members of AFSCME Local 3916, the union for more than 300 AC Transit administrative employees, supervisors and managers, have ratified a new two-and-a-half-year contract with the East Bay bus agency, AC Transit announced Friday.
The deal now goes to the AC Transit Board of Directors for final approval.
What's in the contract
According to the agency, the agreement gives 3% raises in the current fiscal year and again in fiscal years 2027-28 and 2028-29, which AC Transit describes as keeping pace with inflation. It also adjusts on-call pay so qualified staff are available when something goes wrong on the road.
Beyond pay, the contract gives the union a bigger say in recommendations about how the district uses contract workers, and it adds newly illuminated safety equipment, KTVU reported.
The behind-the-scenes workforce
Local 3916 members aren't bus drivers. They handle trip-planning tools, bus assignments and running times, and they monitor service disruptions and emergencies. Union president Gideon Murey said in the agency's release that the vote shows the district recognizes the value those workers bring.
General manager Sal Llamas said the talks were challenging but never turned into an us-versus-them fight.
Money is tight
AC Transit projects a deficit of about $200 million over the next four years. The agency argues that lowering turnover and locking in labor costs gives it a more predictable footing as it plans its budget. AC Transit, which has more than 2,200 employees and carries more than 3 million riders a month, has been weighing service cuts, and a regional transit sales tax for BART, Muni, Caltrain and AC Transit is on the November ballot.
The deal follows a rocky stretch in labor relations. Last spring, The Oaklandside reported that Local 3916 and ATU Local 192, which represents bus drivers and mechanics, protested a management plan to change employee health coverage without bargaining. Llamas later paused that change and proposed meetings with union leaders instead.