[November 25, 2009] BRIEF: Westmoreland Transit Authority buses operate on normal schedule Tweet Nov 25, 2009 (The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Westmoreland County Transit Authority buses operated on a normal schedule this morning as bus drivers and mechanics reported for work. About 40 members of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1738 threatened a possible work stoppage for this morning in the aftermath of a decision by authority board members a night earlier to hire a new company to operate the agency's service. Union spokesman George Finney said this morning that workers will remain on the job today. "We will meet without attorney this morning to see what we can do," Finney said. Union members said they are concerned they will not receive back pay or future benefits from their new employer, Lodestar Bus Lines. Lodestar took over the authority's contract to run the buses following an emergency board meeting Tuesday night. Edenfield Transit's contract with the authority was terminated as the bus company struggled with financial difficulties. The unionized drivers and mechanics were employed by Edenfield, but their jobs were transferred to Lodestar under terms of the contract with the authority. To see more of The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/. Copyright (c) 2009, The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]