Santa Clara VTA takes ATU to court over strike

California Santa Clara County Superior Court has ordered the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 265 to appear in court today to defend its ongoing strike at the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA). 

On March 10, about 1,500 VTA bus drivers, light-rail operators and other frontline workers went on strike to protest wages and workplace safety incidents that the union says are not being addressed, ATU Local 265 officials said. Negotiations have been ongoing for months.

The VTA states that the contract with ATU Local 265 includes a “no strike” clause and is took the case to court today, asking it to order workers to return. Union representatives will need to argue to the court that that contract's March 3 expiration exempts members from the clause, VTA officials said in a press release. 

The hearing is set for today, although the ATU Local 265 posted on Facebook yesterday that ATU and VTA will meet with a state mediator before the hearing.

"While VTA is taking legal steps to ensure the contract terms are enforced so that transit service may resume for the community, we remain deeply dedicated to our employees. We’ve presented a revised offer, including an 11% pay raise over three years. Our focus is on returning our employees to work and restoring service for our communities," said VTA General Manager and CEO Carolyn Gonot.

Roughly 83% members of ATU Local 265 rejected the agency’s most recent offer, which did offer higher wages but introduced changes to other parts of the contract, ATU Local 265 President Raj Singh told local news outlets. He added that he wants the VTA to include an agreement in the contract that striking employees cannot be disciplined when they return.

This is a developing news story and will be updated.