CoachUSA and TWU Local 225 leadership have reached a tentative agreement. The agreement is in the mail ballot process which is expected to be completed some time next week.

The TWU leadership never agreed to Coach USAs ultimatum, and even if the membership agrees to sign it, they will never accept it. The workers will continue to protest until Coach restores their hours, and wages. These protests will not end whether the contract is ratified or not.

Dear NYU, Thank You for letting us tour guides picket for our co-workers in front of your school, on Broadway, the oldest street, on the beautiful island of Manhattan. Us tour guides Love our jobs and promoting our great city! Grayline New Yorksightseeing, wants to cut our pay, give us 20 hour work weeks, and take away our lunch money. Have they no shame?

Just to be clear, the folks you saw protesting, myself included for the final hour on Thursday afternoon, are tour guides. But we and the ticket sellers and the NYU bus drivers for whom we were sticking up that day are all in one union, TWU Local 225, and when it comes to the pernicious and miserly offer Gray Line made to all three component blocs of the union, we are all of one mind and one heart. The offer GL made are unfunny jokes, and they are simply unacceptable to diligent, loyal workers like us who the backbone of their company, and yet people they treat with contempt.

Coach USA may think they have reached a tentative agreement with the TWU, but they are wrong. Coach USA offered no negotiation during contract talks, they just demanded rollbacks in pay, hours, and benefits. This happened as Stagecoach, the parent company of Coach USA, reported record profits this year. We all know the cost of everything continues to climb in NYC due to the economic crunch: rent, fees, tolls, subway fares, etc. Coach USA barely paid a living wage even before these “negotiations”. Shame on Coach USA for punishing their workers at a time when their coffers are overflowing.

Cutting budgets on the backs of working people is not a tactic that NYU should be proud of. This highly regarded educational institution should be ashamed to discover that the company they contracted with treats its workers so abusively.

NYU: You have the power to influence Gray Line New York Sightseeing/Stagecoach. Demand that they clean up their filthy act and negotiate a reasonable contract with your bus drivers, as well as the sightseeing guides and the ticket agents.

Until you do that, the sidewalk in front of 721 Broadway will be visited by loud, bedraggled, picket-sign-carrying tour guides – “Truly the Local Experts”.

Gray Line Tour Guides and Drivers deeply appreciate the support the NYU Students and others, who came out to support our demonstrations.

We have been trying to get the message across, of how Gray Line is treating its employees.

You helped facilitate that message.

Many thanks,
Hal Glicksman

Thanks for helping us get the message out regarding our criminal employer. Many students in front of Tisch the other day were very supportive of out picket line….

Thank You for your article.WHAT YOU ARE DOING IS IMPORTANT.

This article says that Coach USA is causing all the strife. I wonder if Coach USA is concerned that NYU is going to sign a contract with a another company. I’m sure this contract must be very profitable for Coach USA. I can’t see why Coach USA wouldn’t offer its workers a fair deal just to make this problem go away. It seems like the easiest and most financially beneficial solution for all parties involved.

This was the first shot in what could be a long, long battle. Gray Line will learn that an unacceptable agreement will always be unacceptable. We can picket anywhere Gray Line does business and we will do so until Gray Line comes back to the table and negotiates fairly. The pickets will go on whether we strike or not.

How can business partners of Gray Line stop us from picketing in front of them, and pointing out that they willingly associate with an anti-employee company? GET GRAY LINE BACK TO THE TABLE AND GIVE US A FAIR CONTRACT. Until this happens, we will keep picketing.

Organized labor is the backbone of the middle class. While management’s job is to keep their costs low, they shoot society in the foot when they sacrifice the goodwill of their employees, by gouging their workers. The toxic effects of eviscerated unions, thanks to Reagan and his pupils, are what will make this economic downturn particularly nasty. I’m very happy to see my Union standing up and saying “Boo” to Grayline’s self-serving union-busting. Please cover these labor struggles in detail. It’s going to get even more interesting in the coming months.

TWU Local 226 Grayline NY Sightseeing Guides, Ticket Sellers, and NYU Shuttle Drivers, hereby encourage the prestigious New York University to encourage Grayline NY to return to the table and negotiate a fair contract. Make no mistake, we intend to continue to excercise our Constitutional rights to protest until this happens, regardless of the outcome of the ratification vote.

NYU Administrators might want to ask, “Do we want to continue to associate with a company whose business practices are giving NYC Tourism a black eye?

Thank you NYU Students, one and all —- for your article and valuable support !

I work for Gray Lines as a Tour Guide on the red double decker tour buses that pass by NYU on a daily basis. Gray Lines is owned by Coach USA/StageCoach.
I was there at NYU picketing recently, and I was protesting Coach USA’s unfair treatment of the NYU bus drivers. They are a hard working group, part of our TWU Local 225 Union, and just like us, their livelihood is being threatened —- their wages, weekly hours and job benefits are being REDUCED…..and at a time when Gray Lines and their owner, Coach USA’s income has been at an all time HIGH.

The reason Coach USA and Gray Lines is doing this is to force out the current work force. Then, they can re-hire new workers at a lower wage, primarily part time, with no benefits of any sort. The biggest insult came to us recently when our employers instructed us to simply “quit our union”.

What’s DISGUSTING? —- UNION BUSTING !!!

Also, how can a NYU driver support himself and his family when a job that once started as 40 hours is reduced to 30 hours ?????

The message is clear, should NYU be partnered with a culprit company that mistreats it’s employees ????

Once again, we thank NYU for their support.

Thank you NYULocal for taking interest in our picket line and and to the NYU students who supported us. TWU Local 225s dispute with our employer Gray Line is and important newsworthy issue and needs to be reported to make the public aware of Gray Line’s unfair labor practices. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!

I’ve been with Gray Line for 14 years in all those years I’ve never seen the company act in such a mean spirited way.

They have cut our hours, but not their hours of operations. In the past we had about an hour between downtown tours which take about 2.5 to 3 hours, In that hour we would go to the toilet and get something to eat. Also in bad weather we would use that time to warm up and dry our clothes. We now have 15 minutes to do all that!

Time to show some solidarity!

What wisdom recommends is to get away from selfishness. So a good contract is that one which is fair to both parties. – The company to give workers tools that are in good condition and clean, decent salaries that reflect the competences, and appropriate work schedules. – Workers to be loyal to company’s competitive policy.

Gray Line and Worker’s Union have to go back to negotiation with this simple wisdom in mind. Fair negotiation is the best exit, a win win one.

Thanks

Gray Line is demanding givebacks even though it is extremely profitable. Drivers, sellers and guides deserve higher wages, better hours and more respect, not less, less and less!

I see it as a personal afront to myself and my co-workers that GL considers us so incompetent and replacable that we should accept the unacceptable contract they have offered us. I, most certainly, am not looking forward to a strike, with the economy as it is and such. BUT, if we accept this contract they are offering today, there will be no job security anyway. Thank you for covering our story, your support is greatly appreciated.

As a former NYC Gray Line tour guide (2 year tour of duty–2004 to 2006), I proudly support them in their quest for better wages and working conditions. They have all put up with Coach USA/Stage Coach hijinks long enough–it’s about time they get what they deserve. These tour guides are a very essential part of Gray Line’s operations and without them, Gray Line Sightseeing in New York just wouldn’t exist.

Keep up the good work, people!!

Coach USA is swimming in cash from ripping off tourists day in and day out in Times Sq. This new contract rips off the workers that keeps that engine going. Something must be done.

Committed, energetic and enthusiastic tour guides provide much needed revenue to the city by their knowledge. They make tourists feel comfortable and welcome. as a result more tourists come to NY and spend $$
If working conditions deterioate so does morale and the “I don’t give a damn” attitude spreads. Just look at the airline industry.

I have been a tour guide since 2000 and love what I do. I love this city and love presenting its best side to our visitors. Unfortunately, I am feeling more and more ashamed to admit that I am a Grayline employee. Why? Because, I have never felt that my job has been appreciated and important; that my trying to be a good tour guide who continues on perfecting my craft has absolutely no merit to my employer. Being an educated person, I feel underappreciated every time I am given a broken, dirty bus and a non-working audio-system–it’s a waste of my time and all the visitors who are paying hard cash for my tour… How can I be an effective guide, an ambassador of this beautiful city if my own BOSS does not believe I deserve to have an income on which I can actually live?
I and all of my wonderful colleagues are professionals who should be treated as such! NYU–we need you to take a stand and force GL NY Sightseeing to return to the table!

NYU needs to also take a stand alongside of its students and pressure Grayline to bargain in good faith. In times of economic instability with a company reporting record profits there is no reason other than GREED for trying to lay this insult of a contract on our workers. When they are making more and more money why must they punish the hard efforts and talented people who have given everything to make this a successful business. They want to break the union and force us into working conditions of centuries past. Help us by showing solidarity and goodwill and pressuring Grayline in the only way they respond too. Tell them that there are other bus companies in town who might be a better fit with NYU if they can’t be civil. There are too many families whose lives are in the balance right now. The time to act is now!

As nyu neighbor and a friend of their film school graduates, I’d think the now enrolled film students could do at’ from the inside’ expose on that schmuck middle man for Gray Line (whats his name barlow? find out where he lives) who objected to students give protesters doughnuts and coffee or cocoa

Today, TWU Local 225 members overwhelmingly approved and ratified a new, 3-year contract with Gray Line New York.

Mr Alvich is a public relations person employed by Gray Line NY. What Mr Alvich does not tell you is that Gray Line has threatened NYU bus drivers with immediate transfer to other bus service in the Coach USA system if they dare to protest at NYU. That is why the tour guides are going downtown to protest at NYU. Gray Line has menaced your drivers to stop them from practicing their constitutionaly guaranteed rights. Does NYU support this behavior? Is that behavior in keeping with the philosophies espoused by NYU? NYU ought to think twice before doing business with a company that has a horrible record of treating its employees and customers.
Go to TripAdvisor.com to read what customers have to say about Gray Line service.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d528122-Reviews-Gray_Line_New_York_Tours-New_York_City_New_York.html#REVIEWS

Its not over, the fat lady has not sung yet. Grayline New Yorksightseeing is the CASH COW for Stagecoach, why are you hurting us?

It is unfortunate that a small group of dissident employees refuse to accept the decision of their fellow Local 225 members who have overwhelmingly approved and ratified a new 3-year contract.

On behalf of Gray Line New York/Coach USA we apologize for any inconvenience caused by this small group of disgruntled employees.

Michael,IS THAT RELY HOW YOU SPELL YOUR NAME?

Excuse me,REALLY

First of all I would like to apologize for the last two statements.Your statement made me angry and I reacted in an unprofessional manner.I,m not a dissident employee,disgruntled,YES.I have been professional at grayline,show up on time,honor my bids,and give the best tours I can.I care about giving people the best tours I can.Isn,t this what the company wants me to do?Now we have a new contract,Less hours,less time between tours,less time for lunch,and less money in our paycheck.I,m frustrated,I thought good employees were rewarded.I don,t understand how creating an atmosphere with over-tired,underpaid,and hoarse tourguides,will benefit the public,your customers.You see me at the informational pickets,I,m not a dissident.I,m concerned for my livlihood,and that has just been eroded.It is my belief that many voted for the contract because they felt they had no choice.Something bad is better than nothing at all.My other comments were disrespectful,but I think a little respect for me could be useful,,I am fighting for my life..

miley i like u a lot u r the bestttttttttttttttttttt your mom also rocks