Babylon Town gives bus drivers raises, more time off

The Town of Babylon has reached an agreement with the union that represents drivers for its senior buses, giving the workers raises and more days off.

The new contract for ATU Local 1181-1061 runs from this past September through 2029 and increases the hourly rate of pay for the nearly 30 workers from $17.41 to $20. The minibus drivers will receive a $1 increase per hour for each year of the contract.

Babylon Town Chief of Staff Tom Stay called the pay increase a "pretty significant bump for them."

The drivers voted to unionize in 2021, securing a five-year contract with the town that was in place until the end of August.

Under this new contract, the drivers, who work part-time, double their number of personal and sick days from one each to two each, Stay said. They also secured time-and-a-half holiday pay, instead of straight regular pay, for the eight holidays they might work, he said.

The employees drive residents to and from the town’s four senior centers as well as on trips to stores and doctor appointments and occasional events. On average, the drivers work about 27,000 hours annually, Stay said.

Negotiations began at the end of July, with wages a top concern for the union, he said.

"We recognize that they’re driving seniors, so they’re important and doing safety-sensitive jobs, but obviously we had to keep in mind the budget," Stay told Newsday. "We felt that the number that we negotiated was fair both for them and for us."

Tomas Fret, president of Local 1181, agreed that the contract is fair.

"Whenever a contract moves forward and there’s no givebacks, I consider that a success," he told Newsday. But Fret noted that drivers had hoped for wages starting at $25 an hour.

"We understand the structure of where [the town] gets their money from with the budget, so there’s only so much we can do," he said.

Fret said the town had been looking to secure another five-year contract but the union wanted a shorter pact. Fret said longer contracts leave the union vulnerable — dissatisfied members could move to decertify the union — and must be approved by the international union board.

"After speaking to their attorney, to not have to jump through those hoops, we decided to agree to a three-year term," Fret said.

He said the vote to approve the collective bargaining agreement was 18-0.

By Denise M. Bonilla

denise.bonilla@newsday.comdenisebonilla

Denise Bonilla has worked at Newsday since 2003 and covers the Town of Babylon, including the villages of Lindenhurst and Amityville.