Pierce Transit Cuts Jobs and Benefits

It seems that Pierce Transit is seriously doing everything it possibly can to be better of financially. In terms of collecting revenue, the Pierce Transit board approved a ballot measure for this fall that would increase the sales tax by 0.2% 0.3%. Also, Pierce Transit is now proposing a $0.25 fare increase.

But Pierce Transit is pursuing cost cutting measures. Pierce Transit recently announced that they were cutting staff and benefits and the TNT has all the details here. Six managerial positions were cut which made up a total of 11% of the managerial staff. Also, benefits were cut for nearly all non-union employees.

However, the 800 pound gorilla in the room is the majority of Pierce Transit's workforce - 845 unionized employees. As noted by the News Tribune:

Those cuts, however, will not apply to the bulk of Pierce Transit’s work force. Some 845 transit union members won a contract that calls for a 4 percent hike this summer. Agency officials wanted to renegotiate; union leaders refused
...
“We’ve asked (to renegotiate) twice, and they’ve said no twice,” said agency spokeswoman Treva Percival. “Their contract is up again next year. Negotiations will probably start in the spring.”

With the ballot measure and union contract negotiations, it's lookin to be an interesting spring for Pierce Transit.