BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Union members picketed outside of NFTA headquarters Thursday demanding higher wages and a new contract for transit employees.
A driver shortage is causing some bus routes to be cancelled in Buffalo. The union representing all 1,100 NFTA bus drivers, mechanics and clerical workers has been without a new contract for seven years.
"We don't think it's fair, and the starting bus driver wage is $12.95 an hour to drive a forty foot bus and have fifty people's lives at hand, and it's just substandard par, and they can't get enough people, and therefore they're missing buses out on the street, and the passengers are hurting," says ATU Local 1342 President Vincent Crehan.
Earlier this month, 2 On Your Side did a story about cancelled routes and the frustration of riders in Buffalo. They complained on Facebook saying, “Several times the 16 Bus never came so I had to drive my kids to school so they wouldn't be late.”
Another rider said, "Route 15 Seneca is terrible. My daughter has been late for school and work."
"When people are waiting out at the bus stop, and their bus doesn't show up, it’s not our fault. It's that they're 35 to 40 bus drivers short, and about 40 mechanics, and now it's cutting into the safety of the buses as well," says Crehan.
The union says it's at an impasse, and with no proposed wage increases for the past six years, it will probably go to fact-finding.
Robert Oehler has been a Metro bus driver for two years. He primarily does routes in Buffalo.
"You have to adjust your budget, work overtime, sometimes sacrifice a bill or two to make sure something else gets paid. You're always juggling your money. It's just not easy," says Oehler.
The NFTA says the shortage of drivers is a growing problem. It is actively recruiting new drivers, mechanics, and technicians.
"We would love to sign a contract with the ATU. They rejected the last offer that we had and decided to go to fact-finding, which is fine. That's their prerogative. In the last seven years, we've signed 16 other contracts, but we've had trouble signing this one," said NFTA Spokesperson Michael Martineck.
Union members will be back out Friday handing out leaflets at Canalside and First Niagara Center to people going to the NHL Draft.