VTA bus drivers and light rail operators turned down the agency’s latest offer, sending negotiators back to the table and leaving Santa Clara County commuters in the lurch.
Roughly 83% of members of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 265, which represents more than 1,500 frontline VTA workers, voted Monday to reject VTA’s latest offer. The new offer included a wage increase and mutually agreed updates to the conflict resolution process, but introduced changes to previously untouched parts of the contract. VTA workers have been on strike since March 10, stopping bus and light rail services across the region.
“The fact that they’re bringing items back to the conversation that were removed proves they’re the ones trying to stall this conversation,” ATU Local 265 President Raj Singh said.
The strike has left tens of thousands of riders scrambling to find alternative transportation, such as walking for miles or paying for ride-shares such as Uber and Lyft.
The VTA board of directors approved the revised offer in a special meeting Sunday. It included a 11% raise over the next three years, going up 4%, another 4% and 3%. It included updates to the conflict resolution process for workers filing a grievance, before going to a neutral third party. But it also introduced other contract changes, such as reducing overtime.
“This proposal represents a fair deal to workers, but I also want to be clear that it comes at a cost and VTA will have to carefully work within our limits to protect service to our customers,” VTA Board Chair and Campbell Mayor Sergio Lopez said.
Lopez said at a Sunday news conference that the 11% wage increase would stretch the transit agency’s already thin budget, but represents VTA’s commitment to getting service back up and running for riders. VTA General Manager Carolyn Gonot said the newly introduced changes would help the agency cut costs to meet the wage increases.
After the ATU Local 265 vote, VTA published a statement doubling down that the agency presented a fair offer and asked ATU to come back to negotiations with requests.
Singh said the offer is a step back from where negotiations were earlier in the week. Any new terms have to be negotiated, so introducing new terms in an offer only delays the workers’ return.
South Bay Labor Council Executive Officer Jean Cohen said the union is hosting a rally Tuesday in front of San Jose City Hall at 12:30 p.m., calling on VTA to negotiate in good faith and return to mediation as soon as possible. Domingo Candelas, a San Jose councilmember and VTA board member, and Councilmember Peter Ortiz are expected to attend in support of the union. Singh and Cohen emphasized the impact the prolonged strike has had on riders and workers alike.
Singh said he wanted an agreement with VTA to not discipline striking employees once back on the job. While striking is a legally protected right, he said an agreement would reassure union members, especially because VTA filed a legal complaint claiming a breach of contract.
The first hearing in VTA’s legal complaint case will be heard Wednesday at 1:30 p.m.
Story updated March 24 at 5:47 p.m. Original story published March 23 at 4:52 p.m.
Contact B. Sakura Cannestra at [email protected] or @SakuCannestra on X.
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