For Immediate Release September 24, 2021 Media Contact: Andy Cole Communication and Marketing Manager acole@tarta.com Office: 419.245.5213 Mobile: 567.249.5980
TARTA Board approves agreement with TAAP UAW Local 5242
The Board of Trustees of the Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA) has approved a 3-year contract with the Toledo Association of Administrative Personnel (TAAP) UAW Local 5242, which represents about 40 employees at TARTA and its paratransit agency, TARPS.
The pact covers employees in several areas, including: information operators; customer service personnel; vehicle and building maintenance staff; road supervisors; and administrative staff. The agreement includes the first significant raise for TAAP employees since 2017 and adds three more paid holidays.
“This agreement is good news for our employees and our passengers,” said TARTA Board of Trustees President Kelsie Hoagland. “Our success is born in the quality of the people who work here. This agreement reflects our appreciation of what they do and how important they are to our organization.”
TAAP/UAW Local 5242 President Emilio Ramirez says union members supported this round of negotiations.
“We know we must work together during these difficult times with the continuing pandemic,” he said. “We look forward to and fully support the TARTA tax levy in November and are committed to our membership, their safety, and the continued service to the community.”
The contract guarantees a 3-percent raise for the employees covered, in addition to a signing bonus of $2,080. The agreement also includes minor language adjustments, including the addition of Martin Luther King Day, Juneteenth, and Veterans Day as paid holidays for TAAP employees.
“We are very pleased to work together with our TAAP leadership to come to mutually agreeable terms and show our employees, who are our greatest asset, that we value them,” said TARTA CEO Kimberly Dunham. “Positive labor-management relations have always been a top priority for our team.”
Negotiations with TAAP began in March, and TAAP’s membership has already ratified the agreement. Talks on collective bargaining agreements continue to progress with other unions representing employees of TARTA and TARPS.
“All of the changes we’ve made in the last two years have been about moving this agency forward, and building a public transportation system that our community can use and be proud of,” Hoagland said. “This contract is the next step in rebuilding and transforming our transit agency.”
About TARTA
TARTA provides a vital link in the Toledo metro area to jobs, education, health care and other destinations. It enables everyone in our community to have access to transportation regardless of their age, race, physical ability or economic background. TARTA is underway with exploring and introducing new initiatives and service options that will enhance convenience and customer experience while moving our region into the future of public transit.
