The Valley Transit Authority operators’ union is responding after the transit agency went to court trying to get striking drivers back to work. Ian Cull reports.
The Santa Clara Valley Transit Authority (VTA) operators’ union is responding after the transit agency went to court trying to get striking drivers back to work.
The union was on the third day of its strike on Wednesday over a new contract, bringing nearly all bus and light rail transit to a halt in the South Bay. The rain and wind didn’t stop VTA employees from walking the picket lines
VTA officials said the strike is impacting an estimated 100,000 riders a day as all bus and light rail service in the South Bay is stopped.
The VTA recently filed a legal complaint, claiming the strike violates the drivers current contract. Their asking a judge to force the drivers to come back to work as negotiations continue.
“We felt like the action that we took was one of the avenues available to us to attempt to get service back on the road, really to meet the needs of our passengers who rely on VTA every day,” said Greg Richardson, VTA Chief Financial Officer and Assistant General Manager.
But Raj Singh, the union president, said the legal step doesn’t make sense because their last contract expired on Mar. 3.
“I don’t really understand how the agency is now going to take a position that the contract is not expired,” he said.
The complaint notes that contract included a no-strike provision and if the contract ends – that during negotiations, the agreement “shall remain in full force and effect.”
“I would say both sides clearly have different interpretations of the contract language,” Richardson said. “Attorneys are on standby. Once we get the paperwork and find out when we’re due in court, we’ll be there.”
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But UC Law San Francisco professor Seema Patel said that since the two sides are at an impasse, she believes a judge would likely favor the union.
“This is a very well-established legal precedent and I think that’s the challenge here. This is why the union is striking because the cba is no longer in effect and the workers have the right to strike,” she said.
The union said they will strike until they have a new contract. They are asking for a 6% raise, each year for the next three years. The VTA is offering 3% per year.
Both sides told NBC Bay Area that they willing to go back to the table but right now, there are no meetings scheduled.
“We are open to having that discussion and having those negotiations,” Richardson said.
“It’d be more productive if they just called us to the table and we try to come to a compromise,” Singh said.
