DC Circulator Workers Join OPEIU 2

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)Road supervisors, mechanics, payroll and customer service clerks employed at the DC Circulator voted overwhelmingly to join OPEIU Local 2 on November 4.  "We are happy because the Union will give us real respect," said Viola Medley, a road supervisor at the 17th St. NE garage. "It's about time this happened." The DC Circulator is a circulator bus system in the District co-owned by the DC Department of Transportation, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), and DC Surface Transit, and operated by First Transit. This is the third recent organizing win for workers in the metro Washington transportation system.  In September, workers at Fairfax Connector and Metro Access voted to join OPEIU Local 2, which also represents over 700 employees of WMATA. Several DC Circulator employees met with Local 2 organizers in mid-September seeking a way to ensure that they are all treated fairly and with respect. "Just two months later they can proudly stand together for good, safe jobs and reliable public transportation in DC," said Local 2.