RENO, Nev. (U-News) - Members of Teamsters Union Local 533 this afternoon voted down a contract offer from MV Transportation, the Texas-based contractor paid to manage the Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County transit system.

The previous two-year contract expired on June 30. The contractor and the union agreed to an extension and reached a tentative contract at deadline on July 31.

A federal mediator has been involved and may call a cooling off period as early as Monday. Union members will report to work as scheduled.

Local 533 has represented RTC bus system and RTC Access paratransit drivers and support personnel for a quarter-century. The current negotiations involve drivers, mechanics and dispatchers employed by MV Transportation, a third party hired by the Regional Transportation Board which is comprised of elected members of the Reno and Sparks city councils and the Washoe County Commission.

Chartered in northern Nevada in 1934, Teamsters Local 533 averages about 2,000 members in a variety of businesses and government agencies throughout northern Nevada, eastern California and the Tahoe basin.
The history of negotiations with RTC representatives and the union, including past strike activity, may be accessed via http://nevadalabor.com/unews/ibt533.html