COMPREHENSIVE BENEFITS

1.    Life Insurance:

Effective upon ratification of this agreement, the Agency shall provide to each full-time employee life insurance coverage in the amount of $20,000 and beginning January 1, 2009 it shall increase to $25,000. The effective date of coverage is the first of the month following the date of promotion to full-time status. Coverage includes an Accidental Death and Dismemberment Policy with face value equal to the amount of life insurance provided.

2. The Agency shall contribute to each full-time employee up to $422.50 per pay period, for the first two pay periods of each month effective December 1, 2007 or effective date of coverage in the Southwest Administrators Inc. This amount shall increase to $439 per pay period for the first two pay periods of each month effective October 1, 2008. This amount shall increase to $460 per pay period for the first two pay periods of each month effective October 1, 2009.

The Agency will continue to pay the employee’s contribution to PERS for the two (2) third (3^rd) payroll periods that occur in the same calendar month annually.

Available dollars must first be applied to pick up employee health, dental, vision, and retirement contributions (PERS) followed by optional term life insurance premiums the extent that such dollars are available. 

Description of Benefits:

A.      Health, Dental and Vision Insurance – under this benefit, the Agency will make     available program(s) mutually agreed upon by the parties. Any portion of the premiums not covered by application of benefit dollars shall be automatically deducted from the employee’s paycheck. PPO Dental will continue to be offered as an option for employees wishing to purchase this insurance at their expense.

B.      Pick up of employee retirement contribution (PERS) – under this benefit, remaining dollars if any, shall be used to pay the employee’s contribution to the Public Employees Retirement System. 

C. Optional Term Life Insurance – under this benefit, remaining dollars, if any,    

shall be used to pay optional term life insurance premiums for term insurance currently available to Unit employees or any other program mutually agreed upon by the parties. Any available remaining dollars may be used to purchase optional term life insurance to the extent such dollars are available but in no case greater than $20,000 of such optional life insurance. Any portion of the premium not covered by application of benefit dollars shall be automatically deducted from the employee’s paycheck.

D. Retiree Medical Benefits – Effective April 1, 2008 Omnitrans will deduct $13 per  

pay period from each full-time employee’s wages. The agency will match the $13 per pay period deduction and deposit those funds in the IMCA VantageCare. This deduction will only be made for the 24 paid periods per year excluding the two (2) third (3^rd) payroll periods that occur in the same calendar month annually. (See Appendix A)

The following benefits have been made available through the Amalgamated Transit Union. Additional information may be obtained on these various programs by contacting your local union officers or the International office at:

CONTRACT NEGOTIATION: ATU local officers, assisted when necessary by our International Vice Presidents, represent bargaining unit employees in contract negotiations for improved wages and benefits and just treatment on the job. We negotiate over 100 agreements each year and pride ourselves on the best contracts in the transit industry.

GRIEVANCE HANDLING: The ATU represents its bargaining unit employees in disputes with their employers in matters of discipline or unfair treatment on the job. The Union regularly secures back pay awards for employees who have been unjustly fired from their jobs. Well-trained local union officers help ensure our contracts are faithfully implemented and our bargaining units' rights are protected.

RESEARCH ASSISTANCE: The ATU assists locals with the economic, safety, health, and other information needed to conduct professional negotiations with managements, resolve questions, implement new regulations and respond to changing needs in the transit industry.

IN TRANSIT MAGAZINE: The ATU distributes a bi-monthly magazine, In Transit, an official publication which provides important information about the Union and related events in Congress, Parliament, and the transit industry.

ATU MOBILE UPDATES: The ATU keeps its officers up-to-day with regular news updates to empower them in their work.

ATU DISPATCH: The ATU regularly provides legislative and political information by email to its members so that they can take action to protect and extend the rights of working people in the U.S. and Canada.

SEMINARS: The ATU is at the forefront of the Labor Movement in terms of education in both the U.S. and Canada. Seminars are regularly offered on arbitration techniques, collective bargaining, local union financial administration, grievance administration, leadership training for officers, organizing, health and safety, and women's issues – as well as legislative and political programs.

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS: The ATU International maintains a full-time legislative program which, in conjunction with local unions and members, lobbies Congress and state legislatures to promote the interests of our members.

ATU-COPE: The ATU conducts yearly nationwide fundraising to support its ATU Committee on Political Education, which makes contributions on a bi-partisan basis to the campaigns of local and national candidates for public office in the U.S. who are supportive of our values on labor and transportation issues.

ORGANIZING PROGRAM: The ATU has a full-time organizer on its staff who will respond to requests from those interested in organizing their workplace.

CANADIAN COUNCIL: The ATU maintains a full-time office in Toronto, Ontario, for the purpose of responding to the needs and desires of our Canadian membership . The Council addresses their legislative, political, educational, cultural, social, and economic concerns.

SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROGRAM: The ATU makes available its own publications informing affected employees of drug and alcohol testing requirements in the U.S. and Canada.

FUNERAL BENEFITS: The ATU maintains a historic funeral benefit program to help with funeral expenses.

UNION/MANAGEMENT COOPERATION: The ATU is at the forefront of the Labor Movement in promoting union/management cooperation programs at our properties all over the U.S. and Canada. The Union strives to conduct an on-going dialogue with the transit industry that leads to the early resolution of disputes and the mutual pursuit of common goals such as public funding of mass transit and increased ridership.

ATU SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM: The ATU offers an annual scholarship competition to union members and their dependents in order to further the education of those who have an active awareness of union issues.

UNION PLUS and UNION SAVINGS PROGRAMS: ATU members have access to discounts and special purchase programs through the Union Plus program for Americans and the Union Savings program for Canadians.

ATU MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS RESEARCH FUNDS: The ATU conducts annual fundraising drives in the U.S. and Canada to fund research to combat the disease of multiple sclerosis