Teamsters Demand Fair Contract as Employer Pushes Workers Closer to Picket Line

(HYATTSVILLE, Md.) – Bus drivers, mechanics, and utility workers at RATP Dev represented by Teamsters Local 639 have voted 120-1 to strike if an agreement is not reached soon. The 155 Teamsters provide transportation services for TheBus in Price George’s County, Maryland.

“Despite meeting more than a dozen times, RATP Dev has refused to offer these Teamsters the contract they deserve,” said William Davis, President of Local 639 in Washington, D.C. “These 155 Teamsters are the sole reason that TheBus runs efficiently and safely in PG County, which is the second largest county in Maryland. This group is committed to securing a strong contract and we are proud to support them in getting them every penny they are worth.”

Teamsters are demanding a contract that includes increased pension contributions and wages that are comparable to other professional bus workers in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.

“Day in and day out, we provide an essential service to residents and visitors throughout the county, and it’s time our employer offers us a contract that reflects our important work,” said Kathleen LaFortune, a RATP Dev worker and shop steward at Local 639. “We do not want to strike, but our employer has left us no other choice. We are not afraid to stand shoulder to shoulder on the picket line and withhold our labor.”

Teamsters Local 639 represents workers in a wide variety of industries throughout Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. For more information, go to teamsters639.com.

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