http://www.thehawaiichannel.com/employment/2505640/detail.html

Next Meeting Scheduled For Wednesday

POSTED: 9:44 AM HST September 23, 2003
UPDATED: 11:09 AM HST September 23, 2003

HONOLULU -- Talks between the two sides in the bus strike broke off Monday night and it´s unclear how the talks went.

Both sides of the bus strike have a different spin on how negotiations went. There´s disagreement on what issues are still on the table. It is clear that for the union, wages remain the big sticking point.

Bus talks broke off around 6:30 p.m. Monday.

"It went reasonably well. It was a lot of good discussion," Oahu Transit Services negotiator Perry Confalone said.

"Not good. Not too good. The company again is being unreasonable," Teamsters Union leader Mel Kahele said.

The Teamsters said OTS has offered a five-year contract with pay raises in the fourth and fifth years, but the bus workers said they can´t go without raises for three years.

"We want labor peace for five years we don´t want to end up with this situation again," Kahele said.

"We are just trying to reach agreement and get the strike over as soon as possible," Confalone said.

As for benefits and layoffs, it turns out both of those issues are still unresolved.

"The company has never officially withdrew the cutbacks in benefits and the layoff proposals," Kahele said.

"We have not placed that back on the table," Confalone said.

Meanwhile, there´s increasing frustration from the striking bus workers, the city and bus riders with no way to get around.

Talks are scheduled to start up again Wednesday morning. That´s when Teamsters said they will come back to the table with another proposal.

On that same day, the City Council will take a final vote on a plan to increase bus fares.