Honolulu bus riders face strike on Aug. 26

By Kelly Yamanouchi and Mike Gordon
Advertiser Staff Writers

The union representing O'ahu bus workers set a strike date of Aug. 26 after labor negotiations broke off yesterday.

KAHELE

Aug. 26 is the day after many schools start, which puts considerable pressure on the two sides to reach an agreement.

Local 996 president Mel Kahele said the negotiating team picked the date.

"We want the strike to be effective, and we want the city to seriously look at the problems, the dilemmas that are currently on the bargaining table," Kahele said.

"We are going to allow the people to get to school on the first day and also allow the city administration to hammer out the problems and the issues."

O‘ahu residents take about 218,000 trips a day on TheBus, according to O‘ahu Transit Services.

O'ahu Transit Services spokesman Perry Confalone said that the bus system's budget is about $4.5 million lower than last year's and that the union's demands amount to about $30 million more in costs over the life of a new three-year contract. He warned that "people need to be prepared" for a strike.

In the meantime, Confalone said, "We stand ready to resume negotiations as early as next week."

Mayor Jeremy Harris said in a written statement: "No one wants a bus strike, but the city has prepared a strike contingency plan. Let's hope that cooler heads prevail."

Bus workers say it's up to O'ahu Transit Services to get the city to increase the bus system's budget, which is below last year's. The date set for the strike coincides with the day after many schools reopen. Advertiser library photo

No further talks are scheduled. Kahele said the union will not return to the bargaining table until OTS attempts to meet with the city administration to discuss restoring money for the bus system to match last year's budget.

"I believe our last proposal was reasonable, and that was to request the OTS to go back to the city administration and see what they can do to fix the budget," Kahele said.

But Confalone said OTS does not plan to lobby for more money from the city because the decision lies with elected officials, not OTS. He said OTS has heard of attempts to generate additional revenue to restore bus service, which could involve raising fares.

"We would welcome additional monies to restore service, but that really is up to the people who are elected," Confalone said.

Kahele said OTS is proposing 34 take-backs affecting benefits and other work issues while the union proposes to "keep everything status quo."

OTS is proposing freezing wages and pensions for the duration of the three-year agreement.

Local 996 represents about 1,380 drivers, mechanics, clerks and supervisors with average wages between $15 and $21 an hour.

Ben Toomalatai, a bus employee for six years, said that although going on strike could mean personal hardship, "you don't have a choice in the matter."

"We gotta make the sacrifice," Toomalatai said.

A major issue is a plan by the city to cut an additional 80,000 hours of bus service this month. Those cuts would reduce the number of runs on most routes and increase the time between the arrival of buses.

The union said the cuts could mean the loss of 40 full-time jobs; As options to avoid layoffs, OTS has proposed early retirement and a four-day workweek.

City administrators have said Harris is willing to conduct a comprehensive review of city bus fares, including new increases, if that can help stave off more reductions of service. The proposal, coming on the heels of the last fare increase, could include raising the cost of monthly and senior passes, changing the transfer system, and innovations such as higher fares for peak-hour users.

The cost of a monthly pass and one-way fares increased July 1, but the city's bus system still faces a $4.5 million shortfall this year, requiring a 6 percent reduction in service.

Bus rider Ike Wallace, 38, said yesterday that he would be greatly inconvenienced by a strike. Wallace, who prefers taking the bus to his job at Aloha Rubber Stamp on Alakea Street instead of paying $200 to $300 a month on parking, said he would be forced to stay with relatives in Pearl City instead of driving home to Makaha. "It's going to be chaos," he said.

Charles Kerr, 49, commutes from Hawai'i Kai to his job at the Hawaii Medical Service Association on Ke'eaumoku Street. "I would have to scramble to find transportation," he said.

Kerr said his only option would be to find friends in the neighborhood and catch a ride every day.

Longtime bus rider Pauline Toribio said yesterday that she doesn't think there will be a strike. "They can't strike," said Toribio, 64. "They better not."

But should the union go on strike, Toribio, a custodian at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa, said she'd use the down time to take off from work.

If a strike occurs, bus pass users will receive credit for all days lost, the city said yesterday.

Ever since bus drivers and other bus workers authorized a strike, many riders have wondered if they should buy a pass for August, paying $30 for an adult pass for the month.

"I don't want anyone to hold off buying a bus pass, and I don't want anyone to lose money," said Paul Steffens, chief of the city's public transit division. "We would pro-rate the pass. If there is a strike for 10 days in August, we would enable them to use that pass for 10 days the next month."

Steffens said the city has not received many calls about the passes. But OTS receives calls every day from concerned riders, spokeswoman Marilyn Dicus said.

Advertiser Staff Writer Kalani Wilhelm contributed to this report. Reach Kelly Yamanouchi at 535-2470 or at kyamanouchi @honoluluadvertiser.com; reach Mike Gordon at 525-8012 or mgordon@honoluluadvertiser.com.