The final step of contract negotiations between the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority and its bus drivers is set for approval this week.
The Board of Directors will vote on the measure during their meeting on Thursday.
Union leader Ed Cortez says there is nothing that was asked for that was not given during contract negotiations.
RFTA operations director Kent Blackmer represented the organization during the four-day process, and credits the union for a well-prepared set of bargaining options.
“We clearly understood what their objectives were so we were in a position then to go back and review what their demands were and try to come to an agreement.”
Drivers’ wages will now be based on longevity rather than merit. New drivers will see almost a dollar per hour increase this year. The contract states that drivers can not strike during the three year period of the contract. The new deal adds almost two hundred thousand dollars to the 2016 budget
