Gold Coast Transit District and Employees' Union Secure New Three-Year Contract Offering Enhanced Wages and Benefits
Oxnard, CA – Gold Coast Transit District (GCTD), the largest public transit provider in Ventura County, and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 721 have successfully finalized a new three-year memorandum of understanding (MOU) for union-represented administrative staff, bus operators, and maintenance employees. The agreement, which impacts approximately 170 workers across three bargaining units, includes significant wage increases, improved benefits, and enhanced work conditions.
After several months of negotiations, GCTD and SEIU Local 721 reached a tentative agreement on August 12, 2024. Union members ratified the agreement on August 21-22, 2024, and GCTD’s Board of Directors unanimously approved it at their meeting on September 4, 2024.
The new contract includes the following key provisions:
ALL MOUs will consist of:
- Wage Adjustment for All Units
- Market-based adjustments to salary ranges (2-12%) to ensure competitive positions.
- Annual cost of living adjustment (COLA) of 4% in 2024, 4.5% in 2025, and 3.75% in 2026
- Increased Vacation & Sick Accruals
- Increase in vacation accruals for all employees, earning up to 7.5 hours bi-weekly (up from 6.5 hours) after 15 years.
- Increase sick time accrual to 3.08 hours per pay period, up from 2.77 hours.
- Holidays, Benefits & More…
- New Juneteenth Holiday pay (June 19th)
- Health insurance coverage with employer contribution based on CalPERS Kaiser rates: 2024 & 2025 - 100% for Employee, 83% for Employee + 1, 81% for Employee + Family. (Maintains current coverage levels.) 2026 & 2027 - 100% for Employee, 83% for Employee + 1, 83% for Employee + Family. (Increases family coverage from 81% to 83% starting in 2026)
- Bilingual Pay Increase (Speaking/Reading/Writing)
- Increased comp hours to 70 (up from 60 hours)
Specifically, the Individual Unit MOU’s will include:
- Bus Operator Unit
- All full-time runs will now have 39 guaranteed hours, up from 38.
- Bus Operator “Revenue Trainer” differential increased to 15%, up from $1.50 per hour.
- Night differential pay effective at 5 pm, up from 6 pm.
- Additional flexibility in the selection of Uniforms annually (based on average uniform cost.)
- Mechanical Unit
- Extra uniforms: twelve shirts and pants. New jacket replacement program.
- Increase tool allowance to $1,250 over contract (up from $ 1,000).
- Night differential pay effective at 5 pm, up from 6 pm.
- Work show allowance increased to $225.
- Administrative Support Unit
- Rest periods increased to two 15 mins paid, up from 10 minutes.
- Increased contribution to purchase of safety shoes to $225.
- New jacket replacement program (for maintenance unit workers).
Vanessa Rauschenberger, GCTD’s General Manager, expressed her support for the agreement, "This agreement represents the good faith efforts of both bargaining teams to reach an agreement that ensures that our employees continue to be recognized and receive competitive wages for the work they do to keep our community moving. We are proud to have reached an agreement that supports our current employees and will help us attract and retain employees who provide excellent service to the communities we serve.
The new contract will go into effect immediately, with all items retroactive to July 1, 2024.