SARTA officials, union drivers reach tentative agreement (avoids strike)

http://www.cantonrep.com/index.php?ID=406305&r=0&Category=11&subCategoryID=0

Friday, April 4, 2008
BY Robert Wang


Union drivers had issued SARTA a 10-day strike notice Monday. REPOSITORY FILE PHOTO

CANTON Aided by two federal mediators, negotiators for the Stark Area Regional Transit Authority and its union reached a tentative agreement this afternoon that may avert a crippling strike, according to a SARTA negotiator.

Members of Local 1880 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Ohio Council 8 are scheduled to vote Tuesday on the deal. An informational meeting is scheduled for Sunday.

The members in January rejected the last two tentative agreements that were recommended by the union's leadership.

If the members vote this contract down, the union has said it will go on strike at 5 a.m. Thursday.

SARTA has said it's prepared to hire replacement drivers and outsource the ride-by-appointment ProLine service, which serves the elderly and the disabled, to a private company.


FULL story at link.