Kitsap Transit board approves four‑year ATU contract with retroactive pay and matching non‑rep adjustments

KITSAP COUNTY, Wash. — Kitsap Transit’s Board of Commissioners on May 6 adopted a four‑year collective bargaining agreement with the Amalgamated Transit Union covering routed operators, routed dispatchers and access operators, and approved a separate, corresponding adjustment to non‑represented staff pay and benefits.

The agreement with the ATU was described by Executive Director John Claussen as a tentative deal that covers pay and benefits for a four‑year term and includes retroactive pay to Feb. 16, 2024. Claussen said, “we were able to reach a tentative agreement with the ATU for both our routed operators, our access operators and also the routed dispatchers.” The board voted to adopt Resolution 25‑36; the motion passed unanimously.

Nut graf: The contract sets a multi‑year pay schedule and several benefit changes that Kitsap Transit says can be absorbed within its operating budget. The board approved parallel changes for non‑represented employees so agency pay and benefits remain aligned.

Under the ATU agreement Claussen read into the record, the wage schedule provides increases applied retroactively to Feb. 16, 2024, and then phased across subsequent years: 5.5% for 2024; a 4.25% increase effective Feb. 16, 2025; 3.25% in 2026; and 3.75% in February 2027. Claussen said access operators will receive an additional 0.5 percentage point above the routed operator increases each year to move hourly rates closer to parity.

The contract recognizes Juneteenth as a paid holiday and raises employer‑provided life insurance from $10,000 to $50,000; Claussen said that higher life insurance was effective Jan. 1 of the same year. The agreement also includes a $2,500 ratification signing bonus for covered employees and changes to how Washington Paid Leave is administered: a cap of 40 hours per year in line with state RCW guidance and a one‑time allocation of 20 hours of additional general leave that becomes available Feb. 16, 2026.

Board members asked about the fiscal impact of increased employer health contributions and whether fare changes would be needed to pay for the contract. Claussen replied that the agency expects to absorb the costs in its operating budget and through normal sales‑tax growth, saying there is no need to raise fares as a direct result of the agreement. Several board members expressed appreciation to the union and staff for concluding talks. One member urged the agency to start negotiations earlier next round to avoid prolonged periods without a contract.

The board followed with adoption of Resolution 25‑37 to implement an adjusted non‑represented salary schedule and benefits package mirroring many elements of the ATU deal. Claussen noted non‑represented staff already received some increases earlier and that non‑rep adjustments are effective going forward (the agency cannot apply those changes retroactively for non‑represented employees). The motion to adopt 25‑37 passed unanimously.

Discussion vs. decision: The meeting record shows board discussion about cost, retroactivity and workforce stability; the formal decisions were the unanimous adoptions of Resolutions 25‑36 (ATU agreement, effective 02/16/2024) and 25‑37 (non‑rep salary schedule and benefits, effective 05/11/2025 for implementation), and the resolutions include the benefit changes described above.

Ending: Kitsap Transit staff said they will implement the changes and thanked the union and negotiating team. Board members asked staff to monitor fiscal impacts when preparing future budgets.