One Regional Transit System mechanic joined eight members of Students for a Democratic Society in Tigert Hall on Thursday as they asked the UF administration to support bus drivers’ contract negotiations.
Because UF students make up about 75 percent of RTS ridership, UF President Bernie Machen’s support could influence negotiations, said Students for a Democratic Society lead organizer Conor Munro.
Jamal Sowell, Machen’s executive assistant, took the 900-signature petition and information about roughly 200 call-ins to the president’s office.
“It’s a labor rights issue, and more importantly, it’s a student safety issue that we want the university to address,” Munro said.
He said drivers’ pensions are being cut, and wages are stagnant. They’re forced to work overtime, which can present a safety issue, he said.
Sowell promised to contact the group.
Contracts are negotiated every three years and negotiations start March 1, said Chip Skinner, RTS marketing and communications supervisor.
Skinner said it is illegal for employees to drive more than 12 hours in a 24-hour period. They also must have at least eight hours of rest.
UF pays about 51 percent of RTS’s total operating budget, said Students for a Democratic Society member Skye Schmelzer. That is about $11 million, according to the RTS Revenue Budget for the 2012 fiscal year.
Students for Democratic Society representative Skye Schmelzer, 19, speaks with Jamal Sowell, executive assistant to President Machen about fair wages for RTS bus drivers. Schmelzer's key point was for drivers to no longer have forced overtime.
