HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-07-11 - AGENDA REPORTS - ATC/VANCOM STATUS REPORT (2)CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
AGENDA REPORT
UNFINISHED BUSINESS City Manager Approval:
Item to be presented by: Anthony J. Nisich
DATE: July 11, 2000
SUBJECT: ATC/VANCOM TRANSIT CONTRACTOR'S STATUS REPORT ON DRIVER
WORKING CONDITIONS
DEPARTMENT: Transportation & Engineering Services
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City Council receive report and provide guidance to staff.
ATC/Vancom, the City's transit contractor, is currently experiencing a driver shortage. At the City
Council meeting of June 27, 2000, two drivers addressed the City Council under the Public Input
section of the agenda. They expressed a need for increased pay and changes in working conditions.
Representatives of ATC/Vancom have been invited to address the City Council on the status of
existing working conditions and to respond to issues raised at the last Council meeting. They will also
discuss any potential actions they may propose to address issues raised.
In addition, a report prepared by ATC/Vancom management is included with this agenda report for
your further information.
ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS
Alternative actions that the City Council may consider vary significantly. The City Council could
provide input to urge settlement of the disagreement between ATC/Vancom and its employees
and allow ATC/Vancom to develop their own solutions. Other actions could include a City
financial contribution, termination of the present ATC/Vancom contract, or other action as
determined by the City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT
Unless the City Council directs staff to pursue an action that would result in increased costs in
Fiscal Year 2000/2001, there will be no fiscal impact resulting from this item.
Report by ATC/Vancom Management
\transit\ agenda\ atmtat2.dm
RECEIVED Nda item: o�3
ATC / Vancom of California L.P.
Santa Clarita Transit Division
25663 W. Avenue Stanford
Santa Clarita, CA 91355
Tel: (661) 286-4155
FAX: (661) 294.2530
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RESPONSE TO STATEMENTS MADE AT JUNE 279 2000
CITY COUNCIL MEETING REGARDING WORKING CONDITIONS
On Tuesday, June 27', ATC coach operator, Gerald Powell, addressed the Santa Clarita City
Council during the public participation segment of the City Council meeting. During his
presentation, Mr. Powell made several statements regarding working conditions that concerned
council members. Below is ATC's response to those statements.
• Employees are "harassed" by supervisors.
A review of records has not unveiled any claims of harassment being filed by drivers.
ATC prides itself on superior human relations, and the low turnover among drivers with
more than one-year seniority attests to this.
• Driving hours are excessive and employees have had to work sixteen -hour days.
ATC fully complies with state law in regard to not permitting a commercial driver to
drive a commercial vehicle after their fifteenth hour of duty. The drivers of split shifts do
not violate this regulation because they are given time off in between shifts and they are
not paid fifteen hours in any one day. Additionally, they are not being scheduled fifteen
hours in any one -day. Drivers also may not work more than eighty hours in an eight
consecutive day period. ATC has not violated or otherwise breached this requirement.
As always, employees may voluntarily choose to work a sixth or seventh day, but it is
neither mandatory nor required. ATC's drivers' hours are monitored by CHP.
• Drivers receive only five or six hours of sleep between shifts.
The implication here is that drivers do not get enough sleep between shifts. The law
requires eight hours of time off between shifts from one day to the next, but does not
specify the amount of sleep time required. Clearly, ATC can only provide the requisite
amount of time off and the amount of sleep a driver gets during that time off is solely
within the driver's control. Again, CHP monitors those hours.
• Many drivers are required to work overtime.
Overtime work is assigned on a volunteer basis according to seniority. Thus, drivers
work overtime on a voluntary basis only.
• Adequate rest/lounge facilities are not available to drivers.
This is not true inasmuch as the City of Santa Clarita earlier this year constructed a quiet
room that ATC equipped. That room accommodates four to six employees and provides
them space to nap. Larger, more adequate space is not available in the transit office area.
• Drivers' rate is $8.50 per hour.
ATC has a labor agreement which expires August 4, 2001. Although there was no
obligation to do so, ATC approached the union offering to increase pay rates
approximately $.50 per hour plus offer bonuses to new employees upon successful
completion of six months and one year of service. The union did not request these
increases, however ATC felt they were needed to end the driver shortage. There was a
concensus among ATC and city staff that a larger increase was needed to assure that a
sufficient number of qualified applicants could be attracted so that all driver positions
will be fulfilled on a sustained basis. ATC determined it could contribute the full costs of
bonuses plus 50% of driver rate increases. ATC's offer to the union included ATC's
share of the proposed increases. Drivers overwhelmingly turned down this proposal
believing the amount was insufficient and that the City had an obligation to contribute to
increased rates.
Despite the driver rejection, ATC is proceeding with the new rates effective July 2, 2000.
Drivers in training make $7.00/hour for the first 6 or 7 weeks. They then move to a
$9.00/hour pay rate until their one-year anniversary, then the rates increases to $9.45 per
hour. Currently, the top rate of pay is $11.70/hour, which will be increased with a CPI on
August 5, 2000.
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