The union that represents RTD employees announced Tuesday that RTD intends to layoff hundreds of frontline employees as a result of a $166 million budget gap.

Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1001 said that sources at RTD released information over the weekend confirming the planned layoffs. The layoffs would disproportionately affect workers over managers, the union said.

“Any RTD action planning layoffs will be premature and based on highly questionable financial projections,” ATU said in the release. “RTD should not be threatening to take action that will destroy its ability to provide transit services to the metro area in coming years.”

RTD anticipates it needs to reduce the number of budgeted positions by 25-30%, including approximately 635 part-time and full-time positions that are currently filled. 

At a study session on the budget issues last week, RTD’s Chief Financial Officer Heather McKillop presented board members with scenarios to cut the budget to address the $166 million gap. Her proposal suggested making $14 million in cuts to administrative costs.

“RTD, like much of the world, is having to face the reality of our times by addressing the financial impact of the pandemic,” said RTD Chief Executive Officer and General Manager Paul Ballard in a statement on Tuesday. “These are difficult times requiring difficult decisions, but we will work through this and stay committed to keeping our employee family and the public informed with the facts as they evolve.”

In their release, the ATU claimed the financial projections were untrustworthy, saying RTD has a history of “botched” financial projections.

“Late last year, RTD had botched their financial projections so badly that the board had to plan for extreme service cuts in the last few months of 2019, long before the current pandemic was even known to exist,” the ATU said.

The ATU said RTD’s Chief Financial Officer admitted that her department’s projections had been off significantly at the 2019 November and December board meetings.

“RTD is fear-mongering,” said Union President Lance Longenbohn in a statement, “putting out signals that they can do without their front-line employees.”

The union found that while RTD staff has increased by 154% in 35 years, represented employees have increased by only 38%.

According to RTD, it is currently carrying about 40% of its pre-COVID level of ridership, providing 60% of its pre-pandemic level of service and continuing to employ 100% of its workforce.

“If barely minimal bus and rail service continues and RTD chooses to lay off its front-line employees, service will never again rise to pre-pandemic levels,” The ATU said.