Metro News Release

For immediate release: April 1, 2005

Metro looks to curb overtime

Metro is looking to contain overtime as part of its efforts to be fiscally responsible.

Budget deficits in recent years have forced the transit agency to raise fares two years in a row. Overtime was down last year from $20.4 million in fiscal 2000 to $16.2 million last fiscal year. But Metro has found a number of senior union employees are making six-figures a year. Vacancies, service for specials events and absences are the driving factors behind overtime. And union contracts allow for senior employees to get first pick to work extra hours. A panel of top transit industry leaders last month suggested Metro tackle overtime, management rights and other issues in its labor contracts. Metro is currently in negotiations with three of its major unions and is looking to limit the amount of overtime hours that employees can work per week. The agency also is working to fill vacancies on the operations side faster by stepping up efforts to train and recruit qualified personnel.

Overall, under 2 percent of Metro’s more than 10,000 employees earn more than $100,000, which is about average compared to other top transit systems and below average compared to local governments.

The agency began slowing down raises for salaried employees about a year and a half ago. Raises have averaged 2.7 percent for the last three fiscal years, compared to 4.4 percent for local government workers.

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News release issued on April 1, 2005.