They were supposed to get their lump sum payments this week, hundreds or, in some cases, thousands of dollars in back pay owed to them since 2017. And just in time for the holidays, too.
But Miami-Dade transit workers found out Wednesday that most of them will have to wait until early next year. And they’ve lost faith.
Transit Union Workers President Jeffrey Mitchell wrote a letter to Department of Transit and Public Works Director Alice Bravo blasting the administration for breaking a promise to make 1,100 or so employees whole with 5% longevity steps owed from 2018 and 2019 by Dec. 18.
Then he posted it on twitter.
“The latest embarrassing administrative excuse and questionable logic behind this continuing delay is simply unacceptable,” Mitchell wrote.
What questionable logic? Well, apparently the Human Resources department wants “100% accuracy” on the payouts, “a virtually impossible goal which everyone knows has never been attained yet is now being used as the latest official excuse to renege on your commitment,” the letter says.
“You know very well that every pay period, these departments make hundreds of mistakes, no matter how careful they are, and adjustments are simply made on the next checks,” Mitchell wrote to Bravo. “This is completely unacceptable.
“We are approaching yet another pay period which is critical to our members and their families, many of whom have been set back by COVID-19, health issues, and other stressful factors,” he wrote. “TWU bargaining unit members need their money now, and not two weeks from now.
Read related: Miami-Dade transit workers: Director Alice Bravo has to go, be replaced
“I implore you to act like it is your money during these trying times.”
It’s a laughable excuse that really doesn’t pass the sniff test. Ladra has confirmed with sources who know that, yes, mistakes are made every single pay period. It’s unavoidable in an organization of about 28,000 employees. Errors are corrected by the next pay period. Or the next.
Mitchell says he doesn’t believe it. “I just think it’s more of the leftover attitude from Gimenez and the way he ran things,” he told Ladra. “He did things out of spite.”
The new mayor, La Alcaldesa Daniella Levine Cava, doesn’t have that same reputation. Not yet, anyway. But she also has not moved to replace Bravo.
“The ineptitudes and abuses of [transit] Director Alice Bravo must be addressed by Mayor Daniella ASAP,” the TWU tweeted.
But it’s probably not about Alice. It’s probably not about Gimenez. It’s probably about money.
Truth is, it would cost the county many millions to honor their promise and catch up on the backpay for the eligible workers. The 2017-2020 contract agreement ratified by the union in September and approved by the commission in October, which also includes a 1% increase in hazard pay only during the COVID pandemic, has a total value of $8.6 million.
Read related: Three Miami-Dade Transit workers test positive for COVID19; union wants gearJe
To pay for the concessions, the city identified $4.298 million from the General Fund Wage and Separation Reserve, $2.4 million from the DTPW departmental reserves and $507,000 from federal transit CARES dollars, with the remaining balance to be absorbed by the DTPW operating funds.
Maybe they don’t have that much in reserves. Maybe they need more time to come up with the dough. Meanwhile, they’ll pay just a little, though — enough to shut the union up.
Because after the tweet on Wednesday, Mitchell did talk to Miami-Dade’s new Chief Operating Officer, Jimmy Morales, who told him that there would be backpay paid to about 275 of the transit workers, or about a quarter of those who are owed, Mitchell said.
Morales, who did his best to bust unions when he was the city manager in Miami Beach, did not return a call for comment and confirmation.
Ladra can’t help but wonder how that’s gonna fly with the other 75% of the department employees.
Read related: Miami-Dade Transit workers finally get COVID19 protection, riders get relief
“That leaves almost 900 people or so left in the wind,” Mitchell said Wednesday evening. “And they’ve been stringing us along since October.”
He said more than 350 transit workers — Metro bus drivers, Metrorail train operators and mechanics — have been quarantined at one time or another since the COVID crisis began in March. There are still more than 100 who haven’t come back to work.
“These are people who haven’t been getting a check for a while,” Mitchell said. “They were expecting it [the backpay] to be there now, before Christmas.”
Yeah. And we all were expecting to have Metrorail extended to Homestead by now.
Miami-Dade County transit workers wait for backpay promised in October added by Ladra on
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” Mayor Daniella Levine-Cava did not have the intestinal fortitude to fire her. I am seeing a pattern of lack of leadership and unwillingness to demonstrate a take charge attitude.”
Yes I agree but in fairness she had the virus and was ” out of it ” till mid Dec so let’s see but so far you are right .
One of my cousins just got the virus second time , he had it 5 months ago more or less , it was much of nothing the first time.
He goes to parties , etc NEVER wears a mask and this time it gave him a beating , think he is 32 so it can take a toll.
He never had to go to the hospital but he felt like death this time around and I will bet he will AGAIN NOT wear the mask after he recovers because according to him he now safe for months
Yes. Last Friday was a great day for Miami-Dade County. Alice “the Great Corrupter and Incompetent” Bravo resigned.
Good Riddance!
Mayor Daniella Levine-Cava did not have the intestinal fortitude to fire her. I am seeing a pattern of lack of leadership and unwillingness to demonstrate a take charge attitude.
Hopefully, leadership changes to the Internal Services Department and Procurement are next in line.
In 2013 the Transit Union backed Gimenez for mayor. Commissioner Barbara Jordan politicked for Gimenez in the black neighborhoods and helped Gimenez get elected. Being that Transit Department is mostly comprised of African Americans, I would say those employees could start by pointing fingers st the Union and their self appointed community leader Jordan.
Bravo “resigned” last Friday. Thanks.
I don’t know Ms. Bravo but Transit has been a problem for years, seaport and water and sewer are by far more corrupted and you don’t see any stories. The bottom line is pay your corrupted politicians and you will survive as a director. The home taxes will always increase and we are so stupid we don’t even fight it…I’m moving out….
Mayor Levine Cava,
Your moving as slow as those County buses and County Service. If you don’t fire Alice Bravo, then be brazen and changed the County slogan from “Delivering Excellent Services Every Day” to “Delivering No Excellence But Corruption Every Day”.
Common sense,
However if you are OWED pay then you are owed pay . I personally think the bus service in Miami sucks and close to every time I see a bus it says ‘ Out of service ‘ , ‘ Heading to depot ‘ or something along the lines of not picking anyone up .
I also do not believe in hazardous duty pay for driving during the virus , this is Union nonsense .
Wear a mask and drive , would hope they have some type partition between them and passengers but no hazard pay .
Would love to see a private bus service rise up in Miami as one of the big things Miami could use it but again if they are owed money so be it .
I would like to see EVERY Gimenez appointee removed from office so that includes Alice Bravo . Not ONE left in office .
To tax payers get screwed:
We all have choices in life.
One of them being which careers and benefits we want for our future. It seems you have made the wrong choice and are resentful towards those who made a logical one.
If you are not satisfied, it is never too late to make a career change.
Pay and benefits. County employees get paid 15% to 100% more than private sector workers. Most importantly, NO PRIVATE SECTOR WORKERS GET DEFINED BENEFIT PENSION PLANS. Who is representing the taxpayers? Many of whom have no income and NO benefits?