98% of MCTS union members authorize a strike, contract negotiations set to resume Thursday morning

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Union members representing Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) workers are voting Wednesday, July 9, on whether to authorize a strike — a move that could lead to a shutdown of bus service if contract negotiations break down.

“We’re taking a strike vote today,” said Mike Brown, Vice President of ATU Local 998. “The members are frustrated.”

Brown says the strike vote was triggered, in part, by what the union sees as suspicious timing from MCTS leadership. Milwaukee County has announced a projected $10.9 million deficit in the transit system budget during ongoing negotiations.

“MCTS mismanaged the funds,” Brown said. “We just want to know what’s going on. They did it in the middle of a contract negotiation — which was, I don’t know, staged. We feel it was staged because they keep using the word ‘projected.’ They did it the day of finance talk in the negotiation.”

County officials told the Milwaukee County Board Committee on Transportation and Transit on Wednesday that the shortfall is real — and growing.

“The paratransit, the overtime spending, the fare box revenues being low, the vehicle and maintenance parts — all of those items at the same time are trending in the wrong direction,” said Joe Lamers, Director of the Milwaukee County Office of Strategy, Budget, and Performance.

MCTS officials told the committee that they will cooperate with, and welcome, an audit of their finances. But Brown questions why leadership gave themselves raises during better times, only to claim budget shortfalls now.

“What was the deficit at when (the management) was giving themselves raises?” he said.

The strike vote is being held from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday.

If the vote passes, Brown says the decision to strike will hinge on the next round of negotiations scheduled for later this week. “Depends on the talks Thursday and Friday,” Brown said. “We’ll go from there.”

Unlike the last work stoppage in 2015 — which lasted three days — Brown says the union is planning for something much larger.

“It wouldn’t be a three-day thing. Last time we did one in 2015, it was a three-day work stoppage. We’re not doing that,” he said. “You know when we come and know when we end. We’re just going to do a full-blown strike. That’s how it’s going to look. We’re just going to shut it down until our voices are heard — because this has been going on for a while at MCTS.”

Still, Brown emphasized that the union isn’t out to hurt riders or the county, they are simply asking for parity with similar transit systems.

“We’re not asking for no more than what we deserve,” he said. “If you look at other transit systems within our network, we’re way behind. We’re behind Madison. We’re bigger than Madison.”

The union also raised concerns about safety, particularly rising incidents of violence toward drivers.

“A lot of bus drivers got attacked this year,” Brown said. “I can’t give you the numbers, but it’s up there — just because of fare evasion.”

On Wednesday night, 98% of MCTS union members voted to authorize a strike. The union is hopeful, however, that a both sides can reach a deal. 

"We hope to get a meeting tomorrow at 9 a.m. to start the talks again," said Brown.