UPDATE, Tuesday, March 11: VTA has gone to court to ask a judge to order its striking employees to return to work, saying the union violated a no-strike provision in its contract.
The Amalgamated Transit Union says its three year contract with VTA expired on March 3. But VTA says the contract states that after the expiration date, the contract continues “from year to year thereafter.”
VTA is offering a pay raise of 9.3% over three years and a bonus of $1,500 while the union is seeking 19.1%.
MONDAY, March 10: The union representing bus drivers and other workers at VTA went on strike this morning.
Bus drivers make about $26 an hour, but the highest paid driver in 2023 was Freddie Ferrer, who pulled down $289,933 including overtime and the cost of benefits, according to the government salary website Transparent California.
Amalgamated Transit Union Local 265 said it is striking because of stalled contract negotiations. VTA Paratransit service will continue regular operations.
Other demands
In addition to higher wages, the union also wants more benefits, different grievance procedures and better workplace conditions.
“VTA is extremely disappointed that ATU is leaving the communities of Silicon Valley stranded without much-needed bus and light rail service,” said Greg Richardson, VTA deputy general manager.
VTA offered the union a wage increase that amounts to a total 9.3% over three years, Richardson said in a statement.
VTA wants to talk
“While VTA has tried to reach an agreement … we need the union to return to the bargaining table,” Richardson said.
ATU represents 1,500 bus and light rail operators, maintenance workers, dispatchers, fare inspectors and customer service reps.
The VTA is a total waste. Don’t bother to negotiate a new contract, just shut it down and sell off the assets.
The strike didn’t exactly bring the county to a screeching halt. Frankly, nobody cares that those buses don’t run anymore. If you don’t have a car, you call Uber. You don’t waste time figuring out bus schedules and then waiting for a bus that will be late. How did we taxpayers ever get talked into allowing VTA?