Unionized Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority workers were voting Wednesday on the South Bay transit agency’s “final” offer to resolve wage and pension issues, but the union said it would likely reject the deal and strike.
Voting ends early Thursday morning. John Courtney, recording and financial secretary for Amalgamated Transit Union Local 265, declined to comment until the ballots are counted, but he said on Twitter that the union expects members to reject VTAâs offer. The union represents VTA workers including bus and light rail operators, mechanics and dispatchers.
“Although we remain hopeful that the union finds the offer fair and equitable and that a strike is ultimately avoided, we are preparing for a potential work stoppage,” said Brandi Childress, VTA spokeswoman.
The union must provide a 72-hour notice before striking, Childress said.
VTA, which has about 120,000 riders a day, offers bus and light-rail service. If workers strike, bus operations would be the agency’s biggest focus.
“We won’t likely be able to operate light-rail service because that does require special trainings and certification, so we will be prioritizing bus service along our highest ridership routes,” Childress said. “I think it’s also important to note that only a fraction of service will be running and largely depend on the number of contract drivers we have available.”
ATU265RFS on Twitter @MrEugeneBradley @monicamallon @SwimPatricia @alevin I can tell you the ATU will vote the Last Best and Final offer down on Wednesday. It will be an overwhelming NO vote! ALL BETS ARE OFF AFTER Wednesday.
The two sides have been negotiating for nearly a year, Childress said.
“The last best and final offer from the VTA” includes an 8% wage increase and a 3.1% lump-sum payment over three years intended to offset a pension contribution that VTA is asking union members to put toward their benefit, Childress said. Courtney said on Twitter that the wage increase was below the industry standard and that workers will then have to make permanent pension contributions.
Currently, ATU is the only bargaining unit at VTA in which most members do not fully contribute to their pension, Childress said.
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