The transit strike continues, at least until Wednesday.
The Amalgamated Transit Workers Local 265 announced that the new contract offer from the ValleyTransporation Authority was rejected today by 83% of its voting members.
That means the strike that has suspended bus and light train rides for 100,000 commuters since March 10 will continue. Each side in the labor dispute is hopeful that a Superior Court hearing in San Jose March 26 will tilt the odds in their favor.
The VTA is seeking a permanent injunction against the strike, which it alleges is illegal, in violation of the union’s most recent contract.
“Our members want to get back to work. The service our members provide this community is invaluable, and our customers have suffered greatly these past two weeks, and we want bus and light rail service restored immediately,” ATU Local 265 President Raj Singh was quoted as saying at a news conference late Monday afternoon. “But our members will only return to work with a fair contract, one that guarantees their rights, their dignity and their safety.”
Singh said of the 1107 total ballots cast by union members this afternoon in Fiesta Hall on the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds, 919 were no votes and 188 were yes votes.
Singh said union members were reacting to decisions by the VTA to add revisions to overtime policies in their contract offer.
In a statement sent Monday afternoon, the VTA said it has offered “a more than fair proposal that ensures employees receive competitive pay and strong benefits for themselves and their families.”
“At a time when so many workers across industries are facing uncertainty and job losses, VTA is proud to offer stability and opportunity,” the agency said in its statement.
Singh said the union wants a return to mediation, plus guarantees that no union members will face retaliation for going on strike.
An ATU member vote scheduled for Saturday on a proposed 10.5% raise over three years was postponed pending an updated offer on Sunday.
Workers’ dignity? Without a guarantee of bodily autonomy, Raj?
VTA sought to terminate workers who declined experimental Covid jabs. That was a violation of the workers’ human rights. But the union preferred to kiss Cindy Chavez’s rump rather than fight for members like the police union did for theirs.
You don’t recognize your members’ dignity.
Dignity huh? There’s nothing dignified witnessing a morbidly obese bus driver putting a certain route and riders late because he needed to get his fried Chicken from the Safeway on Meridian and San Carlos….and yes, fitting the stereotype to a T.
Winded on his way back, no sense of urgency and eating while driving, steering wheel full probably full of grease.
DOGE should come in and cut the cancer out. More than half of the drivers are lazy and just incompetent….VTA is the worst.
I don’t think the union has the sympathy they think they do – it’s very clear they don’t care about people who actually need public transportation.
Seems like you’re just mad because you don’t have a good job. and a union that wants to protect you. and provide you with benefits where you can live in San Jose.
How can this be legal?? Prime example of why public employee unions should not exist.
When can we start restoring medical freedoms and informed consent? ATU had a chance to include Bodily Autonomy protections in its contract and failed to discuss it. Was it dignified being threatened with termination for months under a hostile VTA Board of Supervisors, VTA Management, with the collusion of the employee’s own Local for not taking an experimental drug? VTA/ATU needs Truth and Reconciliation, Bodily Autonomy protections, and an end to its hostile work environment. I think we all need that.
They make over $100k for driving a bus and want more! Greed! Highest paid in the NATION! Terminate them if they don’t want to return. Pay should be reduced!