METRO Board of Trustees Reaffirms Commitment to a Fair Agreement for METRO Employees
Public transportation is the backbone of daily life in Akron and the surrounding communities, and the men and women of METRO RTA are the reason it runs. Out of respect for those employees and the riders who depend on them, the METRO Board of Trustees wants to share a straightforward update on the status of contract negotiations between METRO RTA and Transport Workers Union, Local 1 (TWU Local 1). TWU Local 1 represents METRO’s customer service representatives, vehicle servicers, and bus operators.
The Board’s goal has not changed: to reach a fair agreement that rewards METRO’s employees represented by TWU Local 1 for the essential work they do, and to do it as soon as possible. METRO’s bargaining committee remains ready and willing to meet at any time to get there.
METRO has answered the Union’s top priority. METRO’s employees told the Union that retroactive wages were their most important concern. METRO listened. On July 10, 2026, METRO delivered a written package proposal that directly addressed retroactive wages and invited the Union to respond. That proposal remains on the table today.
METRO has offered to meet every single day. Since July 10, 2026, METRO’s bargaining committee has repeatedly asked the Union to return to the table, which was done in writing on July 14, July 20, July 27, and again on August 5. METRO offered to meet any day in July, in person or virtually, and then offered to meet any day in August. To date, the Union’s bargaining committee has not accepted any of those dates and has not provided a counterproposal to METRO’s July 10 offer.
METRO accepted the neutral Factfinder’s recommendation. Before these most recent efforts, a neutral, State-appointed Factfinder reviewed the parties’ positions and, on June 3, 2026, recommended terms for a new collective bargaining agreement. In reaching that recommendation, the Factfinder weighed the factors that protect employees and the public alike, including past contracts, comparable work, the public interest, METRO’s finances and lawful authority, the parties’ mutual stipulations, and traditional bargaining factors. The Board accepted the Factfinder’s recommendation. The Union rejected it. The Factfinder’s Report is a matter of public record with the State Employment Relations Board.
METRO deeply values the dedication of its operators, mechanics, and staff, and it respects their right to be represented by their respective Unions. That respect is exactly why the Board is committed to finishing this work at the bargaining table with TWU Local 1. An agreement, including the prioritized retroactive wages, cannot be reached while one side declines to meet. METRO’s invitation stands, and METRO’s bargaining committee is prepared to meet at any time to reach a fair contract for the people who keep Akron moving.