Extraboard Agreements Reached

We’ve reached agreement on some of the issues mentioned in prior blog posts.  We have a few new Memoranda of Understanding that clarify the contract language, which you’ll find posted elsewhere on the site, and the company has also agreed to conduct a few experiments with changing some aspects of extraboards to try and make life more bearable for drivers.  The first two of the extraboard experiments are being implemented in Los Angeles, Greyhound’s second largest location, and a board that has not been turning very well.

The first, which is already in effect, makes it possible under certain circumstances for Los Angeles extraboard drivers to, in effect, become “instant supplements” when they plug the Las Vegas board.  We should know fairly soon whether this arrangement results in more work for Los Angeles drivers without unduly disrupting life for Las Vegas extraboard drivers.  If that turns out to be the case, which we believe it will, we’ll look into rolling out the experiment in other locations where it makes sense to give it a try.

The second experiment will tell us whether dividing the board into “am” and “pm” boards achieves the purpose of allowing extraboard drivers to lead somewhat more regular lives yet still make a decent living.  That experiment is set to begin on February 1^st.

We’re still putting the finishing touches on other extraboard experiments – one that would allow senior extra drivers to bid extraboard slots that would have possibly one or two days of regular runs and the remainder of a cycle with regular report times – and another that would make it possible for certain extra drivers in locations where it might be feasible to work more than one extraboard.  I hope we’ll be able to try those ideas in one or two locations before Spring.

The MOU of most interest to extraboard drivers is one that makes payment of protection pay after the 36^th hour at an away from home location automatic, and no longer dependent upon whether a driver managed to call in at the 24^th and again at the 36^th hour.

Another agreement clarifies procedures to be followed when extraboard drivers are called to work for brief training sessions.  Another, which has been in effect for a few months, clarifies the procedure for assigning certain types of charters.  And the other newly signed MOU clarifies when regular drivers are due overtime pay.

These MOU’s are posted here and they should be in chief stewards’ hands soon for posting on union bulletin boards.

We have a big year ahead of us, and we’re already into the thick of it politically.  We’re re-igniting our ATU-COPE campaign, and we’re preparing to wage the biggest political fight of our lives to protect our hard-won rights and advance the standards of working people.  Stay tuned for details.