CapMetro bus drivers wearing eye black in protest ahead of possible strike

Dozens of Capital Metro bus drivers are wearing eye black Wednesday to protest tense contract negotiations. Drivers tell us this could be a precursor to a possible strike.

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Dozens of Capital Metro bus drivers are wearing eye black Wednesday to protest tense contract negotiations. Drivers tell us this could be a precursor to a possible strike.

“This is a ‘Black Eye’ campaign to show that we’ve been getting punched in the face by MV Transportation and Capital Metro,” said Brent Payne, the local president of the Amalgamated Transit Union. The ATU is the largest labor union representing bus and other transit workers

CapMetro says it is aware of the public display by its bus drivers. It involves either black bandages or makeup underneath the drivers’ eyes.

CapMetro says almost all of its workers from its east Austin garage are wearing the eye black and that about 90% of its drivers from its north Austin garage are wearing it.

Currently there is no impact on passengers, but that could change if the drivers strike. No strike would happen until next week at the earliest. ATU is in contract negotiations with Dallas-based MV Transportation.

Union President Brent Payne said the contract negotiations with MV Transportation are scheduled to end on Friday. He has asked the company to present its best offer. He will then take that offer to the union’s drivers. If they do not like the offer, they plan to “flood” CapMetro’s Monday board meeting in protest.

Last August, CapMetro signed a $1.4 billion deal with MV Transportation to provide all of CapMetro’s bus operations. MV Transportation called it the largest contract in agency history.

Bus drivers in a number of different cities across the country have gone on strike to protest pay under MV Transportation, including drivers in Chicago, Cincinnati, Louisville, Kentucky, and Fairfax, Virginia.

The last labor strike in Austin was in November 2008. Previously Cap Metro said there was a short strike in 2009 but later corrected that information.