Escambia County, ATU Local 1395 leave wages unresolved; talks focus on safety, vehicle maintenance and insurance

Escambia County human resources director Nikki Powell and leaders of ATU Local 1395 met on June 18, 2026, for continued contract bargaining, during which both sides said they had made progress on allowances and nonwage items but agreed to postpone final wage decisions until the next sessions.

Powell, Escambia County HR director, told the union she had circulated a first written proposal and that articles 1 and 2 showed no changes; she said she added a sentence in article 3 directing employees where county policies are posted online. Union president Mike Lawrie of ATU Local 1395 pressed the county to provide printed policy books for operators who lack reliable computer access, and the parties tentatively agreed to place one printed copy in a break room while acknowledging the county cannot fund mass printing.

Why it matters: The contract negotiations will determine pay, safety rules and benefits for the county’s transit operators and maintenance staff, including how the county integrates a new microtransit (flex) service and whether facilities and staffing will be changed to support that service.

Key unresolved items and decisions - Wages and wage table (article 29): Both sides deferred further discussion to a later session while county budget staff finish analyses; Powell said the county is “still talking with budget” and does not have finalized numbers. - Uniforms and tool allowances: The draft moves the uniform allowance from $400 to $500 and raises the tool allowance from $75 to $95 to match other county employees; the union asked to leave the tool allowance open because newly hired mechanics often lack specialty tools. - Life/assault coverage (article 15/risk management): The union requested a $1,000,000 individual life/assault benefit; Powell said Escambia County carries a countywide ‘felonious’ bond of $1,000,000 but will not add individual life-insurance policies. The county agreed to have the risk manager attend the next session to explain coverage and the specific contract language.

Safety, maintenance and staffing concerns Union leaders and front-line operators emphasized acute staffing and maintenance problems that they say have worsened in recent years. “Alan Wise … is so frustrated right now. I feel like I’m being pushed to the limit,” a union representative said, describing long-tenured mechanics who are considering retirement. The union proposed a mentorship and apprenticeship program, offered through ATU and technical colleges, to recruit and retain mechanics.

County staff acknowledged revenue pressures, telling the union they lost about $1,000,000 related to a change in CTC billing and are relying on grants and the gas tax to fill gaps. The county said it is hiring a grant manager and will pursue procurement and training that may cover maintenance and ADA training included in grants.

Accessibility and operator safety Operators raised problems securing modern mobility devices that lack transit hooks and asked the county to ensure tie-down systems and driver barriers are provided. The county said grant specifications include training for maintenance and that procurement decisions (including tie-downs and driver barriers) will follow grant and procurement processes.

Weapons, open-carry law and facility security Drivers also expressed fear about weapons and loitering near transit facilities after changes in Florida law made open carry more visible. Powell said the county is constrained by statute but is pursuing additional security measures for the new facility — including gate-style perimeter security similar to other county facilities — and is working with lobbyists and the risk manager on legal and policy options.

Microtransit, trolleys and routes The parties discussed plans to add microtransit (flex) service to feed fixed routes and serve neighborhoods and the University of West Florida (UWF) outskirts. County staff said some smaller ‘premium’ vehicles could be used to generate revenue, and that microtransit is expected to be integrated with fixed-route service. Procurement and scheduling for new buses (a 9–11 vehicle order mentioned) will follow another procurement timeline and may extend into 2028.

Next steps The parties agreed to cancel next week’s session and schedule two follow-ups roughly two to three weeks apart to continue bargaining. The county will bring budget and risk-management staff (including the risk manager) to clarify insurance language, and both sides plan to exchange written counterproposals on outstanding items including wages, article 5, article 10, article 29 (wages), article 31 (tools) and article 15 (risk management). Powell said the county will prepare a revised duration article and other final housekeeping language at the end of the bargaining process.

Speakers quoted in this report include Nikki Powell, Escambia County HR director; Christine Hamkins, county attorney’s office (present); and Mike Lawrie, president of ATU Local 1395. The session produced no formal votes or signed agreements; several topics were left open pending budget clarifications and a future meeting with the county risk manager.