Workers at a privately-owned suburban bus company, MV Transit, will become members of the Amalgamated Transit Union.
After an MV Transit employee initiated contact with ATU Local 1005, ATU organizers Marlin Jensen and Ray Vanderwyst met with the workers at a worker's home on Labor Day, the union said. After two meetings, 22 of the 29 employees had signed union authorization cards, said Ron Lloyd, Local 1005 president.
ATU International Vice President Javier Perez, Jr., then initiated negotiations with the employer. Asked to agree to voluntary recognition of the union, the employer at first said no. ATU then filed for an election with the National Labor Relations Board.
The employer then agreed to voluntary recognition of ATU if a clergy member would verify the card count. Lloyd said the employer agreed to allow the Rev. Doug Mork, of the Twin Cities Religion and Labor Network, to count the cards. Mork verified the card count and MV Transit accepted ATU as the workers' bargaining agent.
"We got 29 people the right to have a union and be represented," Lloyd said. Lloyd said worker concerns included fair treatment, wages, benefits and health insurance.
MV Transit, operating as the BE Line, contracts with Metro Transit to operate two suburban bus routes providing service to and from the Mall of America. The company is three years into a five-year, $4.9 million contract with Metro Transit, the region's public transit agency.
Steve Share edits the Labor Review, the official publication of the Minneapolis Central Labor Union Council. Visit the CLUC website, www.minneapolisunions.org
Share
Workers at a privately-owned suburban bus company, MV Transit, will become members of the Amalgamated Transit Union.
After an MV Transit employee initiated contact with ATU Local 1005, ATU organizers Marlin Jensen and Ray Vanderwyst met with the workers at a worker’s home on Labor Day, the union said. After two meetings, 22 of the 29 employees had signed union authorization cards, said Ron Lloyd, Local 1005 president.
ATU International Vice President Javier Perez, Jr., then initiated negotiations with the employer. Asked to agree to voluntary recognition of the union, the employer at first said no. ATU then filed for an election with the National Labor Relations Board.
The employer then agreed to voluntary recognition of ATU if a clergy member would verify the card count. Lloyd said the employer agreed to allow the Rev. Doug Mork, of the Twin Cities Religion and Labor Network, to count the cards. Mork verified the card count and MV Transit accepted ATU as the workers’ bargaining agent.
“We got 29 people the right to have a union and be represented,” Lloyd said. Lloyd said worker concerns included fair treatment, wages, benefits and health insurance.
MV Transit, operating as the BE Line, contracts with Metro Transit to operate two suburban bus routes providing service to and from the Mall of America. The company is three years into a five-year, $4.9 million contract with Metro Transit, the region’s public transit agency.
Steve Share edits the Labor Review, the official publication of the Minneapolis Central Labor Union Council. Visit the CLUC website, www.minneapolisunions.org