The Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) has suspended public transit services until further notice as the Transport Workers Union Local 208 began their strike at 3am this morning. A new tentative agreement between COTA Administrators and the Union was reached early this morning, but the Union isn’t scheduled to vote on the agreement until 6pm this evening. If the agreement is voted upon and passed, then the strike may only last a single day and be restored for Red White & Boom tomorrow.
“”While we are pleased to have reached a tentative agreement with Union negotiators, we’re dismayed that Union members will still walk off the job on Monday and leave thousands of people without transportation to their jobs, school, medical appointments and other destinations,” said COTA President & CEO Curtis Stitt. “Striking after the parties have negotiated a tentative agreement is irresponsible and will only injure people who rely on COTA for transportation.”
Roughly 60,000 trips per day are made utilizing COTA’s services. All paratransit services provided for ADA customers will continue to operate, while all standard fixed-route bus service is cancelled today. Information about transportation alternatives can be found HERE.
The terms of the new agreement include a seven percent wage increase for drivers and mechanics over the next three years and a two percent reduction in the amount of the employee’s PERS contribution that COTA has been picking up for the employees.
More information about the strike can be found online at www.cota.com/Strike_Notice.
Additional ongoing discussion about the strike can be found HERE.