This spring, maintenance supervisors at the San Mateo County Transit District, or “SamTrans” unanimously choose to become Teamsters 856 members. The maintenance supervisors are the fourth group of SamTrans employees to join Local 856 since 2009, following in the footsteps of their colleagues working as bus transportation supervisors, dispatchers, radio controllers and bus contract inspectors.
“We made this move because we saw what a big difference having Teamster representation made for the other groups at SamTrans,” said Adrian Gutierrez, who’s been with the District for eight years.
The nine new Teamsters are in charge of the District’s entire fleet of approximately 300 buses and 150 para-transit vehicles, spearhead the budgeting process, and work shifts around the clock, 365 days a year.
“I love my job, and I want everyone here to love their jobs as well,” said Gutierrez. “I believe being union will enable us to be better employees all the way around.”