Everett Transit union drivers are to receive a 4.5% wage increase as part of the new three-year contract approved Wednesday. (Ian Terry / Herald file)

Everett Transit union drivers are to receive a 4.5% wage increase as part of the new three-year contract approved Wednesday. (Ian Terry / Herald file)

Everett Transit drivers, maintenance workers get pay bumps

The new three-year contract includes signing bonuses up to $3,000, 4.5% pay increases this year and up to 4.25% after that.

EVERETT — Everett Transit drivers, inspectors and maintenance workers are to get raises and bonuses up to $3,000 after approving a new contract.

The Everett City Council authorized Mayor Cassie Franklin to sign the three-year agreement with Amalgamated Transit Union 883 Wednesday night. It concludes negotiations that started in late fall.

Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) 883 president Steve Oss, an Everett Transit employee for 26 years, said members overwhelmingly approved the collective bargaining agreement.

ATU 883’s roughly 100 members will get a $1,500 signing bonus. Then they’ll receive another $1,500 or 40 hours of vacation Dec. 1.

But Oss called the bonuses a “bribe” that enticed most of the union’s members to accept the deal instead of pushing for higher annual pay increases.

“We’re going to be falling behind on wages,” he said. “Our buying power has gone down in this contract. That’s hard to ever get back.”

The lump payments help cover the gap between inflation “near the highest level in 40 years” and the wage increase this year, city spokesperson Julio Cortes said. The bonuses also don’t count toward base pay and won’t factor into future years’ wage increases.

“The lump sum payments allow the employees to take home additional pay in the year of high inflation while allowing the city to control costs for the future,” Cortes said.

The agreement adds pay increases each year starting at 4.5% this year, then between 2.5% and 4.25% the next two years. Those bumps are 100% of the federal consumer price index for urban consumers, according to the agreement.

Para-transit drivers get another $0.25 per hour each year, and maintenance workers get another $0.25 this year only.

That pushes hourly wages to:

• $21.51 to $31.59 for para-transit drivers.

• $25.94 to $30.89 for maintenance staff.

• $27.66 to $35.37 for drivers.

• $40.68 to $43.83 for inspectors.

The union sought increases for para-transit drivers and maintenance staff to help their wages catch up to fixed-route drivers, Oss said. The agreement also now includes “just cause” to the discipline and termination process stemming from audio and video recording on buses.

When cameras were first installed on buses, the union fought to keep them from being used for discipline or employee evaluation. That’s changed in past contracts.

Now managers can review a limited amount of video for disciplinary purposes, starting three minutes before and ending three minutes after a “precipitating event.”

“It’s not whether or not you’re doing anything wrong,” Oss said. “Most people just don’t like the thought that everything they’re doing is subject to scrutiny.”

The new agreement also prohibits the city from requiring a COVID-19 vaccine.

Ben Watanabe: 425-339-3037; bwatanabe@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @benwatanabe.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Olivia Vanni / The Herald 
The Mukilteo Lighthouse. Built in 1906, it’s one of the most iconic landmarks in Snohomish County.
The Mukilteo Lighthouse. Built in 1906, it’s one of the most iconic landmarks in Snohomish County. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Mukilteo mayor vetoes council-approved sales tax

The tax would have helped pay for transportation infrastructure, but was also set to give Mukilteo the highest sales tax rate in the state.

Marysville Mayor Jon Nehring gives the state of the city address at the Marysville Civic Center on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, in Marysville, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Marysville council approves interim middle housing law

The council passed the regulations to prevent a state model code from taking effect by default. It expects to approve final rules by October.

x
State audit takes issue with Edmonds COVID grant monitoring

The audit report covered 2023 and is the third since 2020 that found similar issues with COVID-19 recovery grant documentation.

Bothell
Bothell man pleads guilty to sexual abuse of Marysville middle schoolers

The man allegedly sexually assaulted three students in exchange for vapes and edibles in 2022. His sentencing is set for Aug. 29.

Larsen talks proposed Medicaid cuts during Compass Health stop in Everett

Compass Health plans to open its new behavioral health center in August. Nearly all of the nonprofit’s patients rely on Medicaid.

Snohomish County Health Department Director Dennis Worsham on Tuesday, June 11, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Snohomish County Health Department director tapped as WA health secretary

Dennis Worsham became the first director of the county health department in January 2023. His last day will be July 3.

Logo for news use featuring the municipality of Gold Bar in Snohomish County, Washington. 220118
Lynnwood man dies in fatal crash on US 2 near Gold Bar

The Washington State Patrol said the driver was street racing prior to the crash on Friday afternoon.

Community members gather for the dedication of the Oso Landslide Memorial following the ten-year remembrance of the slide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
The Daily Herald garners 6 awards from regional journalism competition

The awards recognize the best in journalism from media outlets across Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington.

Thousands gather to watch fireworks over Lake Ballinger from Nile Shrine Golf Course and Lake Ballinger Park on Thursday, July 3, 2025 in Mountlake Terrace, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Thousands ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ at Mountlake Terrace fireworks show

The city hosts its Independence Day celebrations the day before the July 4 holiday.

Liam Shakya, 3, waves at a float passing by during the Fourth of July Parade on Friday, July 4, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett celebrates Fourth of July with traditional parade

Thousands celebrated Independence Day by going to the annual parade, which traveled through the the city’s downtown core.

Ian Saltzman
Everett Public Schools superintendent wins state award

A group of school administrators named Ian Saltzman as a top educational leader.

Former Lake Stevens City Council member sworn in to fill vacant position

Kurt Hilt fills the seat left vacant after the sudden passing of former council member Marcus Tageant.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.