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This Table is just one example of how Local 1700 takes advantage of it's mechanics. No good Mechanic Union allows
Mechanics to be paid less than Drivers.
First column shows the driver run number. All of these runs are in the midwest, mainly region 5.
Second column shows the annual pay of that run. The third column is maintenance locations, highest to lowest.
And the final column is how much a mechanic at that location will make in a year with 2,080 hours, which is a full 40 hour
week for a year.
The Information on the following 2 tables is from the U.S. Department of Labor. The first is wages for Bus Drivers,
the second is for Mechanics. It is the polar opposite of the table above.
According to the Feds, the mechanics should be making about $10,000
more per year than the drivers....NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND.
Does anyone still want to say Local 1700 is representing the mechanics fairly ??
Mechanics are qualified to do the same job as a driver. We hold CDL's, and most of us driver BETTER than the Drivers.
Drivers are not qualified to do the same job as a mechanic. Most do not know how to properly check the coach fluid
levels.
Drivers don't have to spend a penny to further their job skills.
Good mechanics have to further their educations periodically to stay on top of the latest technologies.
Mechanics have to spend hundreds, sometimes thousands, of dollars to acquire the tools of their trade.
Drivers do not.
Article G-29 allows the company to subcontract service work and parts room work......We haven't heard any drivers, or
executive board members complaining about the amount of maintenance work the company pays vendors to do. Work
that could give us some overtime. But as soon as they cut a drivers run, we never hear the end of it. Thanks
for this one Local 1700. You are really on the mechanics side here.
There is no elected official for mechanics. We are forced to rely on the ABA's, who are good people, but they
don't know anything about being a mechanic. Service Island mechanics have no shop stewards, they have to use driver
shop stewards who know even less about maintenance, and frankly, they don't seem to care.
We do have a national mechanic representative, but he is not compensated as well, or given the same authority as the
ABA's.
Contract pages 25 thru 41 are written specifically for drivers. 16 pages
Pages 42 thru 48 are for mechanics. 6 Pages.
Mechanics have no voice in any elections, contract or officer, because we are mathematically eliminated.
No matter if ALL the mechanics vote the same way, in the end it is all up to the drivers.
Before Local 1700 gave away our IPDO days, Drivers had the oppurtunity to earn 8, mechanics had the oppurtunity to earn
4.
This was the mechanics only opportunity to have a 3 or 4 day weekend to spend with the family because the company
gives us NO holiday's off. On the last contract, we also lost the oppurtunity for tool allowance and lost our
two training classes per year, which opened the door for the company to all but eliminate training.
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