Second Joint Labor-Management Committee Meeting Held Between Union and CDT
Teamsters Local 727 and Cook-DuPage Transportation recently held their second Joint Labor-Management Committee meeting. Participants at the March 6th meeting included Union representatives, CDT employees and stewards, and CDT management. The committee, charged with finding solutions to work-related issues negatively affecting Local 727 members, followed up on vehicle cleanliness and discussed retraining forms, the grievance process, communications, and dropped calls.
Revisiting the issue of vehicle cleanliness from the first meeting, the Union made CDT management aware of unsafe windshield conditions and the importance of ensuring both the inside and outside of the windshield are properly cleaned for maximum visibility. CDT confirmed that drivers are not responsible for cleaning the vehicles or windshields and will ensure the car washers clean the vehicles thoroughly.
The Parties also discussed retraining forms. CDT confirmed that retraining forms are not disciplinary but are required by PACE. CDT committed that, going forward, an addendum signed by the employee will be attached to retraining forms detailing that it is not disciplinary.
In terms of the grievance process, CDT agreed that, in the future, supervisors included in the discipline will attend grievance meetings in order to answer any questions or address any concerns raised by the employee or Union.
Union representatives detailed the recent confusion surrounding CDT’s cellphone policy. In response, CDT management committed to distributing a more specific notification that better explains how these devices can be used during work hours. CDT confirmed that cellphones may be used in the following instances: (1) GPS can be turned on and phones can be placed out of sight on a shelf in the vehicle so drivers can hear the GPS directions, and (2) cellphones can be used when the vehicle is in park.
On the topic of alleged dropped calls by CDT customer service representatives, the Union questioned whether the dropped calls were the fault of the employees or were due to faulty telephone technology. The Union made clear that if the alleged dropped calls were due to technological reasons, then the employees should not be disciplined. CDT is looking into the technology issue and confirmed that the new telephone system should correct problems once employees move to the new facility.
“The meeting was very productive and addressed many important issues affecting our members,” said John Coli Jr., Secretary-Treasurer of Local 727. “I want to thank the CDT employees and stewards who attended the meeting and expressed the concerns of the membership.”
The next meeting between the Union and CDT will be scheduled for a date in April.
Category: PARATRANSIT
