RTD STRIKE, how it started

On March 26, 2006, the Union ATU Local 1001 voted to reject RTD's "Last, Best, and Final Offer."
The following letter to RTD was written on March 28, 2006. It tells the reasons for wanting a better contract. It shows some of the disrespect we received: while managers received raises averaging $9,000.00, we had no raises at all.

We need a raise now.

In 2003 we believed you when you said the company could not afford raises, so we took a wage freeze.

In those 3 years, we have lost nearly 10% of our buying power due to inflation. The inflation rate in 2005 was about 3.4%.

The company has gained by that inflation (and by the improved economy) with increased sales tax revenues.

Your proposal of 15 cents a quarter will just about keep up with inflation in the next 3 years, but does nothing for the problems we have accumulated. Our credit card balances will never recover.

You may think we make a good living, but things have changed. The median income in Colorado is over $40,000 a year (for a single wage-earner family). What cost $1 in 1968 is now $5.

We need affordable health insurance.

Before 2003, we paid $66 a month for health insurance.

Even at the current rate of $190 a month, there are many people in our lower-paid group who cannot afford it.

You know that the rate will rise dramatically this year, and the next years as well. We need to provide our families with health insurance we can afford.

We are dependant on you to maintain our families.