Written by: Stuart Chirls, Senior Editor The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority on Feb. 24 filed a federal lawsuit seeking to vacate an arbitrator’s ruling on overtime that sided with an employees’ union. Metro in the filing in U.S. District Court wants to implement an anti-fatigue policy designed to prevent bus and train operators from working seven consecutive days. The Metro employees of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689 who by seniority work on an off day are paid at a time-and-a-half, while those who work a second consecutive off-day – called a “seventh day” ¬– are paid double time. An arbitrator in 2016 found that pay provisions in the authority’s collectively bargained contract with the union superseded the safety policy. The authority said that its Fatigue Risk Management Policy provides that no employee perform work on more than six consecutive days, and that any employee working six consecutive days receive at least 24 hours off before returning to work. The local opposed the policy, claiming Metro applied it inconsistently, and last year filed a grievance. Metro in a statement said it has been phasing out the assignment of seventh-day work while paying some employees not to work on their seventh day. Continue reading...
