UPDATE, March 17: Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Daniel Nishigaya has denied VTA’s request for an injunction to force striking bus drivers back to work, saying the transit agency application didn’t follow court rules. Nishigaya says VTA can receive a decision after it resubmits a proper application.
Saturday, March 15: VTA today asked Gov. Gavin Newsom to intervene and bring striking bus drivers back to work.
The governor has the authority to appoint a board to investigate the issues involved in the dispute and to make a written report within seven days.
VTA General Manager Carolyn Gonot sent the request for the governor’s involvement this afternoon. VTA is awaiting a response.
VTA has also gone to court to seek a temporary restraining order to bring the strikers back to work, but the judge has yet to set a hearing on VTA’s request.
Since the strike began on Monday, March 10, VTA says it and the union have met twice for mediation, but those discussions have gone nowhere.
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?
If I took the Uber to work everyday it would be 20 to $25 one way I work 6 days a week I guess you may have the money to afford that but most people don’t
A week has gone by and we’ve all figured out how to live our lives with VTA. That should tell you something about how unnecessary VTA is.
I bought a condo next to the light rail because I was convinced I would not need a car. Uber is too expensive. Get the light rail running again!! And get rid of the VTA CEO.
Hopefully they work out something soon. There are people that need the VTA to get around. I believe college students do get this service for free. I also do see people with disabilities at bus stops and light Rail stations all the time
First off, I don’t understand how people comment on here saying that the VTA isn’t necessary, when in fact, it’s the only transportation for many. Uber is not a everyday option considering how spread out SJ is. Not everyone can have a contract like UPS. I hope they can meet somewhere in the middle on negotiations. 9% not enough, 19% is too high……
My daughter takes VTA to school everyday. Since this started I have had to keep her home or find rides for her. I cannot afford Uber/Lyft. She cannot keep staying home or showing up late because it is against the law for her to not be in school. I also have missed a couple of side jobs I do on the weekends and am out the money I would have earned. Please figure out whatever it is you have to do so we can all go back to our lives. I am not sure how people can afford to take a week off of work to carry out a strike where they are asking for more money. SMH!
An operator at top pay makes closer to 43.00 and hour 26 is starting wages….
Considering that a living wage for a single adult in Santa Clara county is $35 an hour, a 9.3% increase from $26 to $28.42 over the course of 3 years is still no were near enough to actually live here.
As someone who uses the VTA everyday, yes this strike is inconvenient for me. But I think that people should also be able to make a living wage and be able to afford to live in the county the work unless if it’s a remote job.