Santa Clara VTA light-rail, bus operations shut down as workers go on strike

Over 1,500 Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) workers went on strike today at 12:01 a.m., halting the transportation authority’s light-rail and bus operations.

VTA and Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 265 leaders met yesterday, but negotiations on a new contract were unsuccessful, VTA officials said in a press release.

The dispute between parties, which has gone on for six months, lies primarily in wages. ATU is requesting wage increases of 6% per year for three years, while VTA has offered wage increases of 4%, 3% and 2% over three years. VTA operators are currently the second highest paid in the San Francisco Bay Area and the fifth highest paid in the country, VTA officials said. Any further increases would require the agency to cut service or staffing.

“The VTA has failed to address critical issues such as fair wages, benefits, and grievance procedures,” ATU officials said. “The agency has also failed to improve workplace conditions following the tragic mass shooting in May 2021 that took the lives of Local 265 members.”

 VTA transports about 100,000 riders per day on buses and light rail, ATU officials said. VTA paratransit service is still operating during the strike.