NICE Bus drivers, mechanics ratify contract

Former MTA Long Island Bus employees who are working for Nassau's privatized bus system get raises in each year of their newly ratified five-year contract with Veolia Transportation, the operator of Nassau Inter-County Express Bus, or NICE Bus.

Members of Transport Workers Union Local 252, which represents about 800 bus drivers and mechanics, will receive pay raises of 3 percent this year and in 2013 and 2014; 3.5 percent in 2015; and 4 percent in 2016, the union said in a statement.

Higher costs to workers for retirement contributions and health care offset the pay raises, with Veolia paying 80 percent of employee health care costs and workers contributing 20 percent, the TWU said.

Union members voted Monday night, after the TWU local's leaders last month reached a tentative deal with Veolia. The contract took effect immediately.

Fixed-route drivers and mechanics approved the pact 400-29, the TWU said. Paratransit drivers and mechanics OKd it 50-39.

"We all worked very hard under a very tight timeline to reach a new agreement," said Patricia Bowden, president of TWU Local 252. "This contract is a major step forward in protecting jobs, health care and retirement."

Michael Setzer, Veolia vice president and NICE Bus chief executive, said the pact is "a fair contract."

"We credit union leadership for representing their members effectively," he said. "NICE customers are also winners, as they are ensured of having a high-quality, experienced workforce providing bus service. It gives the riders certainty for the next five years."

Also under the contract, former workers with LI Bus keep their seniority and there will be a grievance procedure "which requires 'just cause' in the case of employee discipline," the union said.

Veolia has honored the contract terms since taking over Jan. 1 from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

Under the MTA, LI Bus mechanics started at about $25 an hour and made a top salary of about $31 an hour. Drivers started at $17.47 an hour and reached a top of about $29 an hour.