Striking bus drivers hope for breakthrough

By Gordon Pang
Advertiser Capitol Bureau

As the two sides hoping to end the month-old bus strike broke for lunch today following three hours of negotiations, union officials indicated there may be a breakthrough.

The Hawai‘i Teamsters and Allied Workers Local 996, which represents more than 1,300 striking bus workers, offered a new proposal this morning, which was met with a counterproposal by O‘ahu Transit Services, which operates TheBus.

The two sides agreed to a 90-minute lunch break to mull the proposals over.

“Apparently, the company has come out with a proposal that’s a little better than what they’ve had in the prior months, and let’s just leave it at that,” said Mel Kahele, president of local Teamsters.

The comments were in marked contrast to other reactions Kahele has given in response to company proposals since the strike began on Aug. 26.

With the company already agreeing to some kind of wages in the fourth and fifth years of a five-year contract and the union conceding wage and benefit freezes in the first year, the fight appears to be over the second and third years.

“They’re bargaining, and that’s good,” said Jim Santangelo, a vice president for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. “We’re going in the right direction now. This now is the best thing that’s happened since we’ve been out on the sidewalk.”

Asked if he thought a settlement could be reached today, Santangelo responded: “Yes, I am. I really am.”

Officials with O‘ahu Transit Services, which operates TheBus, confirmed that they had submitted a five-year counterproposal to the union but declined to give specifics.

Negotiators began gathering at Blaisdell Center Exhibition Hall at 10 a.m.