Make transit jobs great jobs so we can hire and retain all the workers we need to restore full service ASAP!

To: General Manager Hursh and AC Transit Management: 

AC Transit's lack of respect and support for its frontline workers, who operate and maintain our bus service, has created a severe labor shortage, causing a crisis for workers and riders. Short staffing and other onerous working conditions have led many transit workers to take other jobs, while many others are out on injury or take early retirement. Without adequate staffing, AC Transit cannot restore the service that riders need. 

AC Transit management’s job is to respect and support frontline workers, to listen to and respond to their concerns, and to retain and attract the dedicated transit workers we need to rebuild a robust and reliable transit system. To do that, management must address all of the following:

• Provide respect and dignity

• Improve hiring and supervision practices 

• End excessive discipline and micro-management

• Address and resolve workplace safety issues to prevent injuries

• End excessive work hours

• Fix planning and scheduling

• Strengthen and improve opportunities for career advancement
  

• Improve compensation and benefits

Transit workers have already identified many solutions to these issues, including: 

• Retrain management to support and dignify transit workers, so that the workplace is one in which workers are respected and supported

• Support new hires throughout training process and probationary period, ensure frontline workers are on all interview panels

• End micro-managing of workers, who are the experts at what they do: support workers instead of punishing them 

• Listen to workers and fix workplace issues that are causing injury, address safety concerns on board busses

• Prevent overworking and exhaustion, ensure workers receive proper rest and layover time, guarantee safe and adequate restroom areas

• Ensure planners take direction from the expertise of workers and riders to create more reliable schedules

• Reduce driving history requirements in hiring of service employees
  

• Increase transparency in promotional opportunities and test scores, expanding tuition reimbursement program 

• Provide on-site child care, shorten wage progressions, expand retirement benefits & provide paid medical through retirement 

Recruiting and retaining transit workers is the first step in restoring and expanding AC Transit’s bus system. As transit workers and riders, we stand in solidarity to demand the working conditions and transit service we all deserve. We know that we are powerful when we stand together!