November
17,
2003
CONTACT:
Ed Scannell/Marc Littman
MTA MEDIA RELATIONS
(213) 922-2703/922-2700
www.metro.net/press/pressroom
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MTA, ATU Reach Tentative
Contract Agreement:
Limited Metro Bus Service Begins Monday night, Nov.
17;
Limited Metro Rail Service Begins Tuesday, Nov. 18.
MTA and the Amalgamated
Transit Union (ATU), which represents 2,800 active and retired mechanics, today
announced that they reached a tentative contract agreement, ending a strike that
began Oct. 14.
ATU members will meet
Wednesday, Nov. 19, to vote on the pact. The tentative contract does not include
an agreement on funding of the union's health trust fund. This issue will be
the subject of a 90-day non-binding mediation/arbitration.
"I am extremely pleased
that both sides were able to break the stalemate that created considerable
hardship for nearly a half million transit riders, many of whom had few, if any,
options to get to jobs, schools and medical appointments," said Zev
Yaroslavsky, Los Angeles County Supervisor and MTA Board Chair. "It's time
for MTA and its mechanics to get back to the business of serving our
customers."
MTA anticipates full Metro
Bus and Rail service to be restored within 72 hours.
Metro Bus
Service
A limited amount of Metro Bus service began operating Monday night, Nov. 17. MTA
will continue to add service as bus mechanics and operators return to duty.
Contracted lifeline service will continue until it is replaced by regular Metro
Bus service on each line.
Metro
Rail Service
Limited Metro Rail service will begin Tuesday morning, Nov. 18. Metro Blue Line
trains will resume operation at 7 a.m. between Willow Station and 7th
St./Metro Center/Julian Dixon Station. Trains will operate every 15 minutes
until 9 p.m.
Metro Red Line service
between Union Station and North Hollywood also will operate every 15 minutes
from 7 a.m. until 9 p.m. Trains will not be scheduled to Wilshire/Normandie
Station or to Wilshire Western Station until further notice.
MTA-181