After months of complaints from Tiger Transit employees, Auburn City Councilman Arthur Dowdell spoke on their behalf Tuesday, Oct. 9 after he claims he was asked by several employees to represent them.
"If they don't meet the needs of these people, then we will stop the transit," Dowdell said. "At least 50 percent of the transit will be stopped, and people won't be able to get to school."
Cassandra Young, transit driver, said the drivers were trying to keep things from escalating that far so students wouldn't be affected.
After complaints regarding a rumor of lowering the drivers' pay to minimum wage, Tiger Transit driver Kristi King said they should be paid equally as professional drivers.
"They're talking about cutting our pay from what we make now back down to minimum wage," King said. "We have to make a living too."
Laura McConnell, director of employee development for Groome, said pay cuts were not being considered, and she was unsure how the rumor started.
The employees are demanding four days of holiday pay, four days of sick leave pay, four days of personal day pay and that all the benefits stated in their contracts be met.
"(The employees) feel that they have been mistreated by the Groome Transportation company, and these workers are asking for four minimal things," Dowdell said. "These workers, from my understanding, have never seen a contract. In that contract, it's anonymous to them what the contract says."
Dowdell said a meeting is scheduled for 6:30 a.m. tomorrow, Oct. 10 at the Groome Transportation office on Highway 14 in Auburn to talk with representatives of the company.
"The only thing that we want, and if it is not met, if these demands are not met by 6:30 in the morning-we will stop those transit buses and they won't be running until these workers are satisfied," Dowdell said. "I talked to the supervisors and they're agreeing with it. Everybody is on board that they do not want to go back to minimum wages; they do want to be able to clock in where they clock out at. They do want sick leave pay and holiday pay like Auburn University employees do. They want the same benefits...like Auburn University has for their workers."
Dowdell said Tiger Transit is a vital part of the Auburn community and the talks between Groome Transportation and the drivers need to end peacefully.
"It needs to end peacefully," Dowdell said. "Why do we have to always fight, when you know what's right?"
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