Bus talks to resume

By Gordon Pang and Johnny Brannon
Advertiser Staff Writers

Striking O'ahu bus workers are headed back to the bargaining table after a deal brokered by Mayor Jeremy Harris today jump-started negotiations that had been stalled since late Monday night.

The Teamsters union agreed to resume talks with O'ahu Transit Services after Harris convinced the bus company's president to guarantee there would be no layoffs or cuts to benefits once the City Council approves a package of bus fare increases.

OTS officials said they have begun talking with the union but had yet to finalize a time for negotiations to resume.

Harris and City Council members remained adamant that they will not support any increases in pay or benefits for the more than 1,300 bus drivers and other workers who walked off the job early Tuesday morning.

"If the issue is additional pay, the issue is quite clear, there will be no additional pay," Harris said. "The city is not going to fund, nor can the bus system afford, to pay the bus drivers any more than we're paying them now."

OTS negotiator Perry Confalone said talks could resume very soon.

"My belief is if the union believes it can live with a status quo agreement, we would be willing to reconvene with the federal mediator as early as tomorrow," he said.

Union leaders were scheduled to hold a press conference this evening to announce their position.