HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES 85 FFFKEWJr/gh/5/29/7
S75, F F F .
A R E S 0 L U T I 0 N
WHEREAS, in December, -.1971, Beaumont -City Lines, Inc.,
notified the City of Beaumont that it could no longer provide
bus service to the citizens of said City;' and,
WHEREAS, the City Council determined that continuation
of bus service was in the public interest and requested the
citizens.to approve the purchase by the City of the bus system;
and,
WHEREAS, at an election held on May 9, 1972, the voters
of the City approvedsaid purchase; and,
WHEREAS, in August, 1972, the City applied for a
capital grant for system improvements pursuant to the Urban
Mass Transportation Act of 1964; and,
WHEREAS, said grant has not been approved because of
the failure of the City and the Amalgamated Transit Union to
agree upon suitable protective arrangements for the employees
of the system pursuant to Section 13(C) of the Act; and,
WHEREAS, the failure to agree was a result of the
Union's insistence that the City bargain collectively with its
employees in violation of Texas law; and,
WHEREAS, .the City has refused to contract the management
of its system because of the excessive expense involved; and,
WHEREAS, on December 18, 1972, the City purchased the
buses and inventory and leased the real estate of Beaumont
City Lines, Inc.; and,
WHEREAS, the City has continuously operated the transit
system since December 18, 1972, with City employees; and,
WHEREAS, all employees of Beaumont City Lines, Inc.,
were given the opportunity to become employees- of the City of
Beaumont; and,
WHEREAS, the City improved the benefits of transit
employees by
(1) -providing salary increases of as much as 19%,
with an additional 5% to be provided each
employee after successful completion of his
probationary period;
(2) providing accumulated sick leave of 15 working
days per year,whereas the former employer
provided none;
(3) providng 8 paid holidays per year, whereas
the private employer provided 5;
(4) providing new tires for all buses;
(5) ordering new uniforms for each employee;
(6) providing paid hospitalization insurance
for each employee;
(7) providing additional employees to lessen the
workload and improve maintenance; and
(8) providing longevity pay of $3.00 per month
for each year of service; and,
WHEREAS, the operating deficit for the transit system
has far exceeded all estimates made by the City; and,
WHEREAS, because of said deficits the City cannot
continue to operate the transit system at the existing level
of service unless it receives financial assistance from the
Tianart-mnnt
F
WHEREAS, all employees of the transit system are
employees of the City of Beaumont and'do not have the right
of collective bargaining; and,
WHEREAS, the Amalgamated Transit Union and the Depart-
ment of Labor have approved agreements for the cities of
Amarillo and Dallas without insisting upon the right of
collective bargaining;
NOW, -THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF BEAUMONT:
I. That the City of Beaumont will not violate Texas
law by bargaining with its employees.
II. That the City of Beaumont will not contract with
a private operator for the management,of its.transit system.
III. That the City Manager is hereby instructed to make
every effort to obtain financial assistance from the Department
of Transportation.
IV. That if all.such efforts are unsuccessful, the
City Manager is directed to eliminate uneconomical routes and
to phase out equipment and personnel of the..transit system
until an affordable level of 'cost to the City is obtained.
PASSED unanimously by the City Council this 29th day
of May, 1973.
h- h omb,
Mayor
Councilman, Ward I
-4
9
Ei
9