PROVIDENCE – Workers providing transportation services at Brown University, Rhode Island School of Design and Rhode Island College have ratified their first contract that includes a 24% pay increase and union protections, according to the Teamsters, Local 251.
The 56 workers, who are members of Local 251, are employed by Transdev Services Inc., the subsidiary of the global transportation company Transdev S.A. The workers
include bus drivers, dispatchers, fuelers and cleaners.
Transdev could not immediately be reached for comment on Wednesday.
The contract was approved "overwhelmingly," the union said, but exact results were not immediately disclosed.
The contract also included provisions for seniority in job bidding and employer contributions into a Teamsters retirement plan, the union said.
Workers at Transdev joined Local 251 in November 2023, and contract negotiation started in March 2024. A strike was authorized in September 2024 if both sides could not reach an agreement. Workers held an informational picket line at Brown on Nov. 8.
"These workers fought tooth and nail to secure a strong first Teamsters contract," said Matthew Taibi, secretary-treasurer of Local 251 and director of the Teamsters Passenger Transportation Division. "Transdev Teamsters remained determined and committed to getting a fair first contract that addressed their needs and concerns.”
Teamsters Local 251 represents more than 6,300 workers in a wide variety of industries throughout Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts.
"We are thankful for the support of the community and students who made it clear they would support us if we had to strike. I'm very proud of my co-workers for staying strong and focused during this long negotiation process," said Daven Cox, a shuttle driver for Transdev.