AC Transit, ATU 192 union reach tentative pact

AC Transit, union reach tentative pact
http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/AC-Transit-union-reach-tentative-p...
Marisa Lagos
Updated 10:35 pm, Friday, December 20, 2013

AC Transit and union officials have reached a tentative labor contract agreement after nine months of negotiations and threats of a strike in October.

The agency and Amalgamated Transit Union Local 192 agreed to a tentative labor contract Friday. ATU President Yvonne Williams said union leadership will present the agreement to its members soon and expects a ratification vote within the next week. AC Transit spokesman Clarence Johnsonconfirmed there was an agreement but declined to comment on the pact.

The union has a meeting scheduled for Saturday, when it will provide details to its members.

The two sides have been in negotiations since March; two previous tentative agreements reached by union leaders have been voted down by the rank and file.

Williams said union leaders and the transit agency have been meeting nearly daily with a mediator since October.

"We are trying our best to keep the buses rolling and the public and everyone working," Williams said. "We feel pretty good about it. ... We understand our members need some time to sincerely look at it and see if it's something they can ratify."

The union's executive board unanimously recommended sending the proposal to its membership. Williams would not provide details of the contract proposal, but said they were able to "ma