SAN FRANCISCO: Arbitrator imposes contract rejected by Muni workers

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 6/14/11 | Michael Cabanatuan, Rachel Gordon, Chronicle Staff Writers

[SmithL]

Muni operators must work under the contract they overwhelmingly rejected last week, an independent arbitrator ruled Monday night. The decision, announced during a union membership meeting, infuriated many Muni operators.

Under the City Charter, if the Municipal Transportation Agency and Transport Workers Union Local 250-A fail to reach an agreement, an arbitrator determines the terms of the contract the 2,200 operators will work under for the next three years.

"It is the opinion of the mediator/arbitrator that the terms of the (proposed contract) on the disputed issues represent the best resolution of these protracted labor negotiations and are in the best interests of both the parties and the riding public," wrote arbitrator Carol Vendrillo, who also helped with the negotiations that led to the tentative agreement.

Earlier Monday, it appeared the decision might spur at least some of the 2,200 Muni operators to engage in a shutdown to protest the imposition of a contract.

[Psycho_Bunny]

"We're not crying about a pay cut - it's about respect," said Victor Grayson, an operator and committee spokesman.

That's what we're going with? Really?

[count-your-change]

Sometimes half a loaf is all they’re going to get. But this way everybody gets to save face by saying the matter was taken out of their hands, nothing they could do, wait til next time, etc.

[Buckeye McFrog]

get ready for three years of blue flu, slowdown strikes and sabotage