Nearly all the Chatham Area Transit bus drivers suspended Tuesday returned to work by Wednesday, CAT Board Spokesperson Spencer DeMink told the Savannah Morning News.
A total of 27 fixed-route operators were suspended by CAT as of Tuesday for noncompliance with a new time-tracking software. Of those operators 25 returned to work Wednesday after agreeing to use the new system.
The suspensions resulted in some service disruptions Tuesday, where three routes faced a reduction in the number of buses serving those routes that day. DeMink said there were no complete suspensions of bus routes Tuesday.
CAT purchased a new biometric software to track employee work time several years ago, DeMink said. The new software was implemented this month, and CAT notified
employees that non-participation would result in suspension.
“The suspensions that occurred were the result of that communication,” DeMink said.
CAT’s requirement that employees participate in the new software drew the ire of the local CAT labor union, the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1324, according to local news reports. ATU Local 1324 did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday.
Representatives of ATU Local 1324 held a press conference Tuesday saying use of the software should have been bargained with the union, according to local news reports.
“The union will not stand for threatening, harassment, bullying, retaliatory behaviors by (CAT CEO) Stephanie Cutter,” ATU Local 1324 President Donya Swinton told TV station WTOC. “When you have a condition of employment, or you change our work condition, it’s to be bargained, you have to sit down with us because this has never been done.”
DeMink said article 7 of CAT’s collective bargaining agreement vests “exclusive control” of the business operations to the transit authority. DeMink added that CAT engaged in “lengthy discussions” with the union related to the new timekeeping system.
“Use of such systems is a trend among transit agencies (and companies) nationwide,” DeMink said. “The change in timekeeping technology benefits both CAT its employees by ensuring that its workers are paid for the hours they actually work."
Evan Lasseter is the City of Savannah and Chatham County government reporter for the Savannah Morning News. You can reach him at ELasseter@savannahnow.com.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Chatham Area Transit drivers return to work after suspensions this week
