Today is an important day for our brothers and sisters of Teamsters 533 in Reno.
Today, they go to the bargaining table with the for-profit operator of the RTC in Reno, Keolis Transit. When their contract expired last month, the state federation called on Keolis Transit to come to the table and negotiate a new, fair contract with our brothers and sisters. Every worker deserves the right to feel protected, respected, and supported on the job—and the Nevada AFL-CIO completely supports our brothers and sisters in labor of Teamsters 533 as they fight for a fair contract and improved working conditions against Keolis Transit. We stand with them in solidarity and hope you will, too.
Last month, the Nevada AFL-CIO supported Northern Nevada Central Labor Council in unanimously passing a strike sanction resolution for Teamsters 533. The resolution came on the heels of Keolis treating our brothers and sisters with disrespect and violating their contract, including failing to pay more than $50,000 in 2019 worker health insurance premiums.
Keolis also put our brothers and sisters in direct danger by refusing to implement local, state, and federal mask and social distancing COVID-19 requirements and ordering drivers not to enforce these measures under threat of firing. After violating these safety measures, they also refused to give the union information on the dozens of employees who contracted COVID-19, at least two of whom were admitted to intensive care.
Keolis Transit has employed fewer drivers, cut overtime, and ignored safety measures solely to enhance their profits. Today, we officially put them on notice. We will not tolerate our brothers and sisters being treated with this disregard and disrespect—and the time has come for Keolis to answer for their mistreatment of the members of Teamsters 533.
These bus drivers and transportation workers kept our communities moving before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, putting their safety, and the safety of their families, on the line as Keolis refused to create a safe work environment. These essential workers deserve far better and deserve an opportunity to address these issues at the bargaining table. We implore Keolis to work in good faith to meet the needs of these workers, and we wholeheartedly support Teamsters 533 in their efforts to secure and uphold a fair contract as their current agreement comes up for negotiations.