On March 3, 2023, Mediapart published an article entitled "French carrier Keolis indicted by its American employees". This article, for which Keolis sent answers in response to the editor's questions, focuses on disagreements between the Amalgamated Transport Union (ATU) and Keolis North America (KNA) in the context of the implementation of its public transport contract in Loudoun County, Virginia.
Keolis reiterates that it strictly complies with all the laws and regulations in force in the countries where it operates. In addition, it is vigilant about guaranteeing fair working conditions for all its employees and maintains an open and constructive dialogue with social partners at all times.
The Keolis Group also conducted an internal audit of the Loudoun and PRTC (Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission) contracts in Virginia.
This audit found nothing problematic in the handling of negotiations with the unions and confirmed that Keolis complies with the practices of the group, the market and the Virginia labor relations law.
Moreover, the audit demonstrated that the benefits offered to Loudoun by Keolis following the negotiations are more favourable to employees overall than those of the previous operator. Examples of this include: a 100% matching contribution made to employee contributions to the private retirement saving plans; several health insurance options are offered, all consistent with those of other American public transport employees; two additional days of leave allocated to employees; salaries undergoing several significant increases since the beginning of the contract.
Finally, Keolis North America plans to increase the number of drivers in Loudoun with 139 drivers operating within 5 years, compared to 115 today.