The Board of Directors for the San Joaquin Regional Transit District met at its regular meeting Tuesday. On the agenda was a look forward in the year to come, with a presentation about some electric buses on the way and a budget for the new fiscal year.
Some members of the gallery brought up some old business. Nearly two-years-old business. It was in 2010 that RTD agreed to outsource operation of its county operations to a private company. At the time it was anticipated that most of the district employees would end up employees at MV Transportation under a new contract. Board members said they’d be watching closely.
MV has been providing the service, but the workers and the company have yet iron out a contract.
“A lot of money’s going out of the county and a lot of lives are being destroyed,” union president Alan Wagner said. Employees are “treated like dirt,” he said, adding employees rejected a proposed deal earlier this year. Employee Angel Calhoun came to the meeting with her two children, Christopher, 8, and Tongie, 7. “We lost a lot when MV took over,” she said.
MV manager Reno Navarette said it was difficult to listen to what was being said about his company. “We treat our employees fairly and with respect.” As far as negotiations, Navarette told the directors that MV is trying very hard to do the right thing. “Let’s get this thing done.”
Here’s the Calhoun family at the meeting.
