BRTA On Verge of Work Stoppage

Staff Reports05:44PM / Wednesday, February 07, 2018Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Regional Transit Authority is on the verge of a work stoppage.

Drivers for Paratransit Management of the Berkshires have reportedly voted down the best and final offer during contract negotiations as well as called for a strike. The workers are represented by International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 404.

The BRTA, which oversees Paratransit, was informed of the vote but has yet to receive written notification regarding the details of the strike, according to BRTA Administrator Robert Malnati.

"At this time, BRTA has not received the written notification from the union regarding the strike. There remain many questions that would only be speculation if answers were provided now," Malnati said on Wednesday.

The 18 members in the union employed by Paratransit voted the strike on Tuesday night and apparently scheduled the work stoppage in 10 days. The union has not commented on the matter.

The strike will impact all aspects of the BRTA. The union had been working with a mediator to settle a contract and the "best and final offer" was delivered to the union on Jan. 26. The membership's vote had twice been postponed before Tuesday.

"The fixed route (BTM) operators, mechanics, and maintenance staff are still working, but cannot cross picket lines," Malnati said.

The Intermodal Center will remain open and Peter Pan, Greyhound, and Amtrak will still stop in Pittsfield. The BRTA issued a notice of the impending stoppage on Tuesday.

"This action may also cause the BRTA bus service to cease operations and halt maintenance performed on BRTA vehicles," the notice reads.

The BRTA has an annual ridership of more than 600,000, with close to 80,000 of those through the paratransit service that supplements the fixed bus service for those with impaired mobility.

Tags: BRTA, strike,

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Pittsfield Council Revisiting DEI Office Rename

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
04:11PM / Tuesday, October 13, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The conversation about the DEI office renaming that was halted by a charter objection will resume on Tuesday.

The City Council will discuss a request from Mayor Peter Marchetti to rename the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

It proposes to rename the DEI office to the Office of Equity, Access, and Opportunity and merge the Human Rights Commission and Affirmative Action Committee into an Equity, Access and Opportunity Commission.

The Ordinance and Rules Subcommittee supported the changes in August, and in September, Ward 2 Councilor Cameron Cunningham delayed the vote with a charter objection.

Pittsfield's City Code prohibits charter states that "if a single member present objects to the taking of the vote, the vote shall be postponed until the next meeting of the city council." It also stipulates that at least four members must object if it is an emergency measure.

Cunningham also submitted a petition, which was referred to O&R under Rule 27, to replace the DEI Office and the Human Rights Commission with an equity, access, and opportunity coordinator in the Department of Community Development, with formal complaints and Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action functions assigned to Human Resources.

At the last meeting, he spent more than an hour querying the mayor and chief diversity officer about functions and effectiveness of the department, wanting more quantitative data. Cunningham proposed an ordinance that he says keeps Pittsfield's commitment to equity, access, and opportunity, "refocuses it on measurable results for our residents, and delivers it at a fraction of the current cost."

Under this petition, the equity, access, and opportunity coordinator would be a $60,000 to $80,000 per year position.

The DEI Office's fiscal year 2027 budget was about $200,000 after cuts during budget season; $106,700 for the chief diversity officer and $58,000 for the administrative assistant. The coordinator would be appointed by the director of community development and the mayor.

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