VTA workers rally in Mountain View as negotiations to end the strike continue
Negotiations were ongoing Thursday as both sides of the VTA strike in Santa Clara County try to come to an agreement to end the labor dispute.
The strike is in its eleventh day.
VTA workers including operators, maintenance staff, dispatchers, fare inspectors and customer service representatives went on strike early March 10th. Transit officials and Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 265 representatives have been unable to reach a deal after months of negotiations. The VTA workers' latest contract expired a week before the strike commenced.
1,500 employees are on strike demanding higher wages and third-party arbitration. The strike has shut down public transit service for 100,000 daily riders in Santa Clara County.
Last weekend, the transit agency sent a letter to Governor Gavin Newsom asking for a fact-finding investigation to help end the strike.
The VTA called on the governor to order drivers and operators back to work while talks continue.
On Thursday afternoon, workers and union representatives held a rally in Mountain View. Among the speakers was veteran driver Watani Fennell, who says he's had a million miles of safe driving under his belt. He outlined some of the difficulties drivers regularly face on the job.
"I've had passengers who tried to assault me by spitting at me," said Fennell. "The extra challenge that we have we as operators trying to stay with VTA's fantasy schedules."
VTA says there has been progress. Both sides went back to the bargaining table Wednesday.
