DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa.– The management of Capital Area Transit will file an unfair labor practices complaint against the Amalgamated Transit Union Division 1436 charging an organized work action that will result in a significant disruption of public transit service which may cause massive cancelation of service provided to daily work commuters and other transit dependent riders in violation of provisions of the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Act.
The violation is that a concerted effort is behind a work stoppage to shut down or limit CAT public transit service to the citizens of Cumberland and Dauphin Counties and the City of Harrisburg on or about November 8, 2017.
“Management has heard from a number of credible sources that the work action has been planned and union drivers are being pressured into taking the day off on November 8, including calling out and asking to be removed overtime “extra board” assignment, who normally fill in for absent drivers throughout the service day,” Robert Philbin, CAT spokesperson, said today.
Such work actions violate the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Act and massively inconvenience public transit users who are dependent on public buses to get to work, school, health care and other important social services.
“We are reasonably certain this action will take place on November 8 and we want the public to be informed about what is happening in the system and exactly why they are being inconvenienced.” Philbin noted.
CAT apologizes in advance for any delays and cancellations in service that might occur on November 8. All CAT staff – union and management available for work tomorrow will be dedicated to making sure the best service that can be provided under these circumstances will be provided.
CAT Interim General Manager Tom Reynolds said he considers this action a repeat of a similar unfair work action which resulted in stranding 30 passengers in Hershey for several hours last summer. “We cannot tolerate this kind of unfair labor actions by the ATU Local 1436 as a means of achieving union goals by punishing the taxpaying citizens who support and ride public transit.” Reynolds said.
Based on the comments received from union members, CAT operations management anticipates that a work stoppage may affect all CAT routes tomorrow, Wednesday, November 8, 2017.
