Bus talks brake off

By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer

Talks between O'ahu Transit Services and the union representing more than 1,300 city bus employees broke off late tonight with negotiators still far from an agreement.

Although the major sticking points continued to be wages and benefits, both sides agreed to return to the bargaining table at 2 p.m. tomorrow in an effort to end the walkout that began on Aug. 26.

The two sides returned to the table today with optimism after Mayor Jeremy Harris promised earlier in the day that there would be no layoffs or cuts in benefits for the term of a three-year deal.

Major disagreements throughout the negotiations were on wages, layoffs, cuts in benefits, and reductions in service.

Although the promise of no layoffs encouraged negotiators, OTS officials went into today's talks insisting there was no money for pay increases. The union entered the talks seeking no raises in the first year, but 50 cents an hour in the second and third years of the three-year contract.

Union and management negotiators broke for dinner at about 7:45 and Local 996 President Mel Kahele made a brief statement saying OTS was not offering any pay or pension increases. Talks resumed at about 9:30.

By 10:20, however, the two sides left the Blaisdell Center, no closer to a settlement than they were more than 12 hours earlier.