Walking the Walk, Not Just Talking the Talk

Following the last Board of Education meeting of the summer, the Transportation Aides of Buffalo, one of the groups demanding the passage of a living wage policy, requested that the members of the Board of Education try to walk in their shoes for two weeks. The statement was incredibly simple, yet incredibly powerful. "I’m asking for one of you to stand in my shoes for two weeks, make the income that I do and pay your bills. Decide whether or not you should fill your prescriptions or feed your family. Try putting gas in your car, because I don’t have one,” said Betty Martin, President of the Transportation Aides of Buffalo (TAB).

Surprisingly, Board Member Ralph Hernandez offered to take Betty up on her offer. Sort of. He asked to ride along with her on one her daily routes and get a sense of the challenges she and the other bus aides face, ranging from low wages to violence on the bus.

We commend Ralph for taking this first step towards gaining perspective regarding the critical and difficult service the bus aides provide.

On another note, EMT's, Intermediates and Paramedics at Rural Metro Medical Services voted down a recent contract proposal. Their contract with Rural Metro expired on June 30th. The proposed contract was actually a 1 year extension of the prior 5 years contract. The members of Teamsters 375 felt that the company insisted upon dictating the terms of future negotiations and the company has thus far refused to negotiate a full contract until a lawsuit under Buffalo's Living Wage Ordinance is settled.

The most disturbing element to these negotiations is the Company's refusal to discuss a full contract based on the outstanding lawsuit, particularly because the lawsuit was brought against the company by EMT's, not the Union. The Buffalo Living Wage Ordinance clearly states that anyone who contracts with the city (contracts-exchange of money for services) is required to pay their employees the living wage. Rural Metro has insisted that they are in fact not covered by the law and continue to pay their employees minimum wage.

The service that the EMT's, the Intermediates, and the Paramedics is crucial. First responders are responsible for saving lives. It appears that company believes more in profit (of which they are making plenty off of the backs of these workers) than in the safety and well being of their employees.

Rural Metro and the Teamsters hope to return to the bargaining table early next week.