The Region - News from June 4, 1985

Mechanics and maintenance workers for the Rapid Transit District voted overwhelmingly in favor of a new contract. Jerome Long, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union, said the union’s members voted 1,097 to 76 to approve the 39-month pact. The pact will make the transit workers the second-highest paid in the nation behind San Jose, which pays its top mechanic and maintenance workers nearly $17 an hour. Long said the new pact gives workers a 21-cent hourly raise the first year, 26-cent hourly hike the second year, 24-cent hourly raise the third year and a 5-cent raise in 1988. Long said the new agreement would raise pay to well over $16 an hour by the end of the contract. The RTD board will vote on the proposal Thursday.