Union requests, RTA denies binding arbitration ahead of strike

Union officials asked Greater Dayton RTA for binding arbitration Thursday, a request denied within hours by transit executives who called the request a blame-shifting tactic ahead of the impending Jan. 9 strike date.

Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1385 President Glenn Salyer sent a request for binding arbitration this afternoon to Mark Donaghy, RTA’s chief executive — one day after the union filed a notification to strike.

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“If he agrees to go to binding arbitration, I’ll pull the strike notice,” Salyer said after sending this newsroom a copy of the arbitration request.

Donaghy denied Salyer’s request shortly thereafter and copied a reporter from this newsroom on the memorandum.

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“I wish you would spend more time in substantive efforts to resolve this matter instead of trying to mount a media campaign to somehow shift the blame for your strike to the RTA or me,” Donaghy wrote, calling Salyer’s request “the next page in the ‘ATU media guide.’”

RTA drivers and mechanics will strike Jan. 9 if a deal is not reached.

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