Services - Labor
Relations between management and the bargaining unit have tremendous potential to either improve or degrade a transit system's all-important relationship with its employees. Labor relations can also impact:
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Stakeholder and community perception of the transit system and its leadership.
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Interaction between operating employees and customers.
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The financial performance of the system.
Thomas P. Hock & Associates (TPH & A) provides labor relations assistance for PTM customer systems, as well as other transit systems throughout the United States. TPH&A has unparalleled capability and experience with the labor relations process, current issues, and even the actual personnel at the bargaining table. Tom Hock, Principal and founder of TPH&A, is considered the transit industry's foremost labor attorney, having negotiated more than 300 collective bargaining and 13(c) agreements with senior staff from 13 different international unions. Tom has been involved in labor relations for over 30 years, and the great majority of his career has been spent in the public transit industry. During this time, Tom has played an active role in innumerable transit systems and, particularly in their labor relations decisions.
Tom has been a singular leader in the industry’s activities in regard to labor policy and legislation, serving on American Public Transportation Association (APTA)’s 13(c) Committee and its Legal Affairs Committee. He is routinely asked to participate in prominent APTA meetings and conventions. In addition, Tom is the author and editor of “Management Report on Transit Labor Issues,” the annual publication of data and trend information for the industry’s labor professionals. Tom has handled matters before the National Labor Relations Board and has also participated in grievance arbitration cases.
In addition to the actual contract negotiation process, Tom has supported transit managers in developing and maintaining effective labor strategies, including:
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Labor contract proposals.
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Impasse resolution (binding interest arbitration, non-binding fact-finding and strike).
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Grievance arbitration.
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13(c)-agreements.
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Day-to-day, advisory interaction.
Labor Relations Experience
Tom and TPH&A's experience includes negotiations with:
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Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU)
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The International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT)
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United Transportation Union (UTU)
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Transport Workers Union (TWU)
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United Auto Workers (UAW)
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International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM)
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American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)
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International Union of Electronic, Electrical, Salaried Machine and Furniture Workers Union (IUEW)
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Hospital Workers Union, affiliated with the Service Workers Union (SEIU)
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United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW)
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United Steelworkers (USWA)
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Graphic Arts International Union
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International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW)
Labor Database
A key part of the negotiating process is data collection from both local area employers and transit systems industry-wide. Because of transit's widespread city-by-city composition and its virtually complete labor organization, hundreds of transit labor contracts exist. THP&A gathers those contracts and prepares detailed research reports for our clients, providing access to the most up-to-date information available on wages, cost-of-living provisions, paid leaves, insurance benefits, pay and penalty provisions, pension benefits and many other provisions.
Financial Modeling
TPH&A has developed a very efficient, highly effective computer program that facilitates costing labor contract changes to ensure that negotiations and settlements stay within the parameters set by the Board or other governing body.
Customers
A few of TPH&A's recent customers include:
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Bay Area Rapid Transit
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Capital District Transit Authority
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Nashville Metropolitan Transit Authority
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Long Beach Transit
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San Diego Transit Corporation
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San Joaquin Regional Transit District
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South Bend Public Transportation Corporation
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Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority
Contact:
Thomas P. Hock & Associates
6405 Branch Hill Guinea Pike, Suite 203, Loveland, OH 45140
(513) 677-6000 /
thock@ptmltd.com