Volume 3 Number 3 OAKLAND, JULY 1960

Bids on Streamlined ACT Labor Policy

Coach fleet Opened; To Assure Steady
Prices Meet Estimate Service in Future
Bids to furnish the transit district with Chances of a future labor dispute halt-
a fleet of new ultramodern motor coaches ing East Bay transit service were sharply
-ranging in price from $23,500 to $35,244 reduced this month with a declaration by
a unit-have been submitted by two transit district directors of their policy to
manufacturing companies and currently submit any unresolved labor-manage-
are undergoing analysis by the district ment argument to arbitration.
staff. The policy statement was prompted
Submitting bids on the new stream- by recent threats of a transit shutdown
lined "Transit Liners" to be purchased during contract negotiations between
during the next two years were Flxible Key System Transit Lines and the labor
Corporation and General Motors. organization representing East Bay tran-
Two types of local transit models and sit workers, Division 192 of the Carmen's
eight types of suburban or commute mod- Union.
els were subject to bid. In addition, each District board president Robert K. Bar-
type contained seven alternates for spe- ber said the policy of the district is in-
cial equipment such as air-conditioning. tended to insure that East Bay transit
The lowest bid submitted of $23,500 service will not be interrupted by a strike
was for a basic version of the Flxible 45 or other dispute between the district and
passenger transit coach, stripped of all its future operating personnel.
special equipment features. The highest The district plans to purchase Key Sys-
bid, $35,244, was for a deluxe express and tem and commence operation of a pub-
trans bay air-conditioned model built by licly-owned system next October.
General Motors. The state law governing the district
District General Manager John R. provides special machinery for arbitra-
Worthington reported it will be early in tion of any dispute if both the employees
August before a full analysis of compara- and district agree. But the legal arbitra-
tive values, desirability and availability tion provisions are voluntary, not manda-
can be completed. Extensive considera- tory.
tion also must be given to adherence to District directors agreed that if any dis-
legal and technical requirements of the pute arises and it cannot be settled by
complex specifications, he added. collective bargaining, they will submit
The transit official indicated this month the matter to arbitration providing em-
(Continued on Page 3) (Continued on Page 2)
 $609,000 'Activation'Budget Provides
What the Editors Are Saying About Transit Cash Working Funds to Start Operations
An "activation" budget of $609,000, to rectors' finance committee, reported the
Oakland Tribune: be financed without an increase in taxes, higher budget was required to meet the
was approved this month by transit dis- "overnight change from a planning and
Key System Strike Settlement Commended trict directors. programming agency to a multi-million
Approximately 58 per cent of the bud- dollar operating entity."
S ETTLEMENT of the Key System
wage dispute was good n~ws to the
Dahl and John Worthington, general
manager of the Alameda-Contra Costa
get, or $355,400, represents working capi-
tal and other funds the
Before the district begins receiving rev-
enues from the fare box, it will need about
people of the Bay Area who were fearful Transit District. Although they were not district will need when $355,400 in working cash to cover pre-
that a strike might again disrupt the busi- officially involved, both offered wise it begins transit opera- paid licenses, taxes, insurance and cash
ness, industrial, and general activities of counsel at critical moments. tions later in the year. advances, for which funds from bond
the East Bay. Primarily, of course, credit must go to Directors agreed with sales cannot be used, McDonnell ex-
Labor and management alike demon- the negotiators representing the Carmen's General Manager John plained.
strated a recognition of their civic respon- Union and Key System. An unwise move R. Worthington to hold
sibility as. they composed their differ- by either group could have plunged the back any salary in- As soon as the district replaces Key
ences without endangering the public East Bay into economic disaster. Instead, creases in an effort to System Transit Lines and begins opera-
welfare. through the give and take of bargaining, keep expenses atamini- tion, the budget will have to be entirely
Much credit is due to Joseph Cham- they worked out a solution that both sides revised to take in actual operating reve-
mum level prior to be- JOHN McDONNELL nues and costs, estimated to be about
bers, state conciliator, who provided the could accept, thereby protecting the pub- ginning operations.
liaison service that kept negotiations pro- lic interest. The total budget is about $150,000 $10,500,000 a year, he added.
ceeding when they appeared to be dead- The Tribune believes it can express, on higher than for the year just ended. But "Even though the budget has been held
locked. behalf of the people of the area, commen- a carry-over in unspent funds together down to the minimum," McDonnell as-
Also contributing to progress toward dation and appreciation to all who par-. with refunds and reimbursements from sured, "the budget does provide sufficient
agreement were Assemblyman Walter I. ticipated. bond sales due the district will mean only funds for a smooth transition from the
$388,000 must be raised by a tax rate of current formative stage of the district to
2.9 cents-the same rate as last year. the job of actually providing transit serv-
District, Union in Arbitration Accord John McDonnell, chairman of the di- ice in the area."

(Continued from Page 1) must first offer to arbitrate contract dis-

ployees agree not to engage in any slow- agreements before strike sanction can be Bus Bids Analyzed for Contract Award
down or refusal to work. granted. Offers to arbitrate were made by
(Continued from Page 1) engine noise level, and bright, fluorescent
International union bylaws require that the union prior to the 76-day strike in
in a preliminary report to the board of di- lights.
the local division of the Carmen's Union 1953 and a short-lived six-day shutdown
rectors, however, that some 50 discrepen- The new "Transit Liners" will provide
in 1958, but were turned down by Key
cies from district specifications had been basic service on most of the 73 lines to be
System.
More Informal:ion uncovered to date in the Flxible bids operated by the district. Acquisition of
While the decision to arbitrate is not while General Motors, it appeared, had used buses from Key System Transit
A note or phone call to the transit dis- legally binding upon future district adhered closely to .the district require- Lines will augment peak hour service
trict will place your name on the mailing boards of directors, it does set a district ments. during the first years of operation.
list for Transit Times if you are not al- policy, as requested recently by represen- Specifications of the new coaches con- The used equipment, in turn, will be
ready regularly receiving a copy of the tatives of the Carmen's Union; and is ex- tain latest design features, including large replaced by new coaches, containing
monthly newsletter. pected to be an important influence upon "picture windows," new aiI;-cushion sus- other improvements as developed, be-
The District also has programs avail- the course of future negotiations with pension, wide seats, modem colors, low ginning with the third year of operation
able for group meetings. operating personnel. entrance step, new push-type doors, low by the district.
2 3
 At an adjourned regular meeting June
15, 1960, the Board of Directors:
• Opened contract bids to furnish up Transit Times
to 300 new diesel motor coaches, and re-
Published month l y by the
ferred the bids to the General Manager
for study, on direction of President Bar- ALAMEDA·CONTRA COSTA TRANSIT DISTRICT
700 ,PI
ber. (Details, Page 1.) Sq < "
• Appropriated $2,500 to engage a firm Oji~
of consultants to assist in selection of in- T.le~h~ '6.1808
terior motor coach designs, fabrics, ma- Alon~: Bingh~~, Editor
terials, and colors; and exterior coach
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
decorative design, on motion of Vice
ROBERT K. BARB ER • .• Pres ident
President Bettencourt. Director at large
WM. J. BETTENCO URT . . Vice President
* * * Wa rd IV
Alameda, San Leandro and East Oakland
At the regular meeting July 6. 1960, the ROBERT M. COPElAND Direct or at Large
Board of Directors: W I LLIAM H. COBURN, JR.. • • • Ward I
Berkeley, EI Cerrito and Kensinllton
• Heard a report from the Attorney
J. HOWARD ARNOlD . Ward II
that a hearing on litigation pending A lbany
against the recent transit bond issue was JOHN McDONN ELL . . . • . Ward III ,
Emeryv ille, Oakland and Piedmont
conducted June 29 by the State District
PAUL E. DEADRICH . . . . • Ward V
Court of Appeal and that a decision may Castro Valley, Hayward and San Lorenzo
be rendered prior to the end of July. ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS
• Adopted the 1960-61 budget, on mo- JOHN R. WORTHINGTON General Manager
ROB ERT E. NISBET • . A ttorney
tion of Director McDonnell. (Details, JOHN F. LARSON . Treasurer-Controller
Page 3.) GEORGE M . TAYLOR • Secretary
~lD
• Authorized the General Manager to
formally request bids for printing bonds,
on motion of Vice President Bettencourt.
• Canvassed voting returns on recent
annexation election of certain unincor-
porated 'area of Western Contra Costa
County to the District, and declared the
area, together with the Cities of Rich-
mond and San Pablo, officially a part of • Adopted'
the District. agreements t-
• Scheduled a public hearing August Director Deadt

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