Recordpub.com - PARTA accuses union of unfair labor Charge against group stems from contract negotiations

By Mike Sever

Record-Courier staff writer

The Portage Area Regional Transportation Authority has filed an unfair labor practice charge against the union representing PARTA's full- and part-time bus drivers.

PARTA filed the complaint this week with the State Employee Relations Board, charging that OAPSE/AFSCME Local 4 has bargained in bad faith by refusing to meet at reasonable times to negotiate, engaging in regressive bargaining and not being prepared to bargain during meetings.

PARTA and Local 4 have been in negotiations for their first contract since July 12, 2006.

It is unusual for an employer to file an unfair labor practice complaint against a union. This is the first time in memory that a political subdivision in Portage County has filed such a charge against a union in labor negotiations.

In its complaint to SERB, PARTA said the union has made repeated claims that it is unavailable for negotiations, despite PARTA offering "a wide and diverse range of dates and times" for meetings.

PARTA said the union stated it would only meet if Union Local 0037 President Gene Cozart is present. PARTA said it arranged for another driver to fill a portion of Cozart's work schedule so he could attend meetings.

This year, PARTA said, the union "abandoned" the previously agreed-to scheduling practice, and said they would meet only outside Cozart's workdays. The union also rejected other offers to schedule negotiations outside Cozart's work schedule, according to PARTA's complaint.

PARTA also claims the union has reintroduced issues that PARTA said were settled months before.

PARTA said the union failed to present a wage proposal at an April 11 meeting, as it said it would two months previously. Several of the proposals the union did offer contained references to school districts, superintendents and "master contract" which are inapplicable to the PARTA negotiations.

The parties have scheduled another session with a federal mediator for June 6.

PARTA's negotiating position has been that any contract must be within PARTA's financial means. The transportation authority receives revenues through a sales tax approved by Portage County voters. Since last July, PARTA said it has rejected the union's economic proposals because the cost estimates far exceed the agency's financial means.

2.	Posted by factfinder May 5, 2008
	How can PARTA claim that the Union is bargaining in bad faith, or refusing to meet at resonable times, when if we go back to when the Union was voted in September 2005, they did not sit down to begin Negotiations until July 2006? Because everytime the Union proposed a date to begin, PARTA would counter propose a date & this went on for 10 months... That was PARTA'S stalling from the beginning.. As for the schedule being changed for meeting times, it probably has alot to do with the fact that Union president Gene Cozart is on a 10 hour split route and has left work numerous times over the last year and nine months to meet with PARTA for negotiations.. Each time he has lost on average 3 to 4 hours pay. He has even come in on his day off to meet with them.. The Union has even offered to come in to negotiate through the entire week-ends, and PARTA refuses to give-up their week-ends.. It is far better for them to meet durning the week, and durning regular business hours so they all get paid for being there.. As far as PARTA'S claim that the Union is asking for more money than is within their financial means,,, the Union & the Drivers know if with all the public records obtained from PARTA pertaining to the raises they have given out over the last few years to every department except the County Drivers adds up to just under a half Millon Dollars,,, they know they are deserving of a fare wage, and a cost of living increase as well!!!