Regional Transit Authority "RTA" of New Orleans did NOT honor the agreement with Bus Drivers for Hurricane IDA
ATU Local 1560 and RTA has a SIGNED agreement for hurricane IDA pay.
WorkWeek On 9-22-21 New Orleans ATU 1560 President Valerie Jefferson Fights Firing & For Justice https://soundcloud.com/workweek-radio/ww-9-22-21-atu-president-valerie-jefferson-fights-firing-for-justice WorkWeek interviews New Orleans ATU 1560 president Valerie Jefferson who was fired after standing up for her members during the hurricanes and dangerous conditions for the members. She and other workers and supporters talk about the conditions that ATU 1560 members face and the conditions of the working class. This interview was done on 9/22/21
The RTA renege on the agreement with ATU Local 1560 after the Drivers came to the rescue in the aftermath from hurricane IDA.
New Orleans was in the dark. The city had no power. RTA used bused for cooling station in front of elderly homes, nieghborhood and major areas around the city. RTA needed Drivers. ATU Local 1560 step up to the plate with over 150 Drivers came to help out their city in the time of need. The Drivers forsake their own needs, families and lives for the sake of others. RTA mistreated the Drivers after New Orleans recieve power/lights.
RTA refuse to honor the signed agreement between ATU Local 1560 for hurricane "IDA".
ATU demand RTA to stand by its written agreement for hurricane pay for bus operators who helped transport people during hurricane Ida, Jefferson, who has worked for the RTA and its predecessors for 28 years, and one other RTA employee were terminated for speaking out.
“This attack is on the Union, not me,” said Jefferson. “This agreement with hurricane pay was a fair deal, but they don’t want to pay them now. They were down drivers. Half left the city. Others were dealing with damage to their homes. The operators who came sacrificed to do so.”
As hurricane Ida made landfall, battering the Gulf Coast, leaving in its deadly path the destruction of neighborhoods and hundreds of thousands of people without power, RTA drivers stepped up to help evacuate as many people as possible, even providing relief for senior residents who needed to get out of the heat of the blacked-out region by using buses as cooling stations.
At first, not enough drivers were available to help. Jefferson and the Local took action, getting the word out and recruiting as many operators as possible to work the exhausting twelve-hour days with no days off. Despite having to sacrifice their own well-being, operators put on a heroic effort to try and save lives.
“This is wrong,” said ATU International President John Costa. “You can’t fire someone without due process for speaking up at work. Especially when all they’re trying to do is ensure workers are paid for putting their lives on the line. We won’t stand for it.”
The Union is also calling for the resignation of CEO Alex Wiggins for his documented history of retaliation. After an investigation, in his prior role with LA Metro, Wiggins was found to have engaged in abusive and retaliatory behavior.
