The Silicon Valley Public Transit Strike of 2025 enters its third week. Last Sunday, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) proposed a new labor agreement for striking workers representing the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 265. This proposal was given at a special Board Of Directors’ meeting Sunday morning.
Per NBC Bay Area, about 100,000 transit riders are affected by this strike, which started March 10. Also reported: VTA mentioned they were losing $70,000 per day in lost fares as a result of the strike.
San Jose Spotlight described details of VTA’s proposal:
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.
Yesterday (Monday) morning, 83% of ATU Local 265 members rejected the proposal. Per Rajvinder Singh, President and Business Agent at ATU Local 265, sticking points are overtime pay, and the need for a “no retaliation” guarantee for all striking employees – including probationary employees.
Both VTA and ATU Local 265 will be in a court hearing on Wednesday. That hearing in Santa Clara County Superior Court will determine VTA’s legal request to end the strike.
Meanwhile, VTA has offered strike-affected riders $5 vouchers for their rideshare trips from 7am-10pm between VTA stops.
What are your thoughts and ideas on labor negotiations, and VTA’s $5 voucher for rideshare? Please comment and suggest.
Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users