(BCN) — VTA’s legal complaint against its striking workers is stalled in the courts, delaying the potential return of bus and light rail public transit service in the region. Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Daniel Nishigaya has denied VTA’s request for an injunction, on the grounds that the filing isn’t compliant with California’s Rules of Court.
Nishigaya wrote Sunday the transit agency can receive a decision after it resubmits a proper application. VTA has been seeking legal intervention to stop Amalgamated Transit Union Local 265’s weeklong strike after contract negotiations fizzled out with no deal on the table. A VTA spokesperson and ATU Local 265 President Raj Singh were not immediately available for comment.
Sergio Lopez, VTA board chair and Campbell mayor, declined to comment on the denial.
“I’m committed to continuing the conversations that have been happening on both sides to get to a resolution,” he told San Jose Spotlight.
The union represents more than 1,500 frontline workers, including bus drivers and light rail operators. It began negotiating with the agency for a new contract last August, and bus and light rail services in the county have been on pause since the strike began March 10.
VTA also sent a letter Saturday to Gov. Gavin Newsom seeking his intervention. VTA representatives have repeatedly said their main goal is to get transit services up and running again. The letter said tens of thousands of daily riders rely on VTA as their primary transportation, and that the strike is creating “material health, safety, and economic losses.”
In the letter, the agency reiterated arguments from its legal complaint, citing the contract’s “no strike” clause and claiming the contract’s duration clauses rolled over after the listed expiration date. ATU Local 265 President Raj Singh previously called the argument “absurd,” as the contract expired March 3.
ATU Local 265 is seeking a 6% raise over three years, totaling 18%, as well as added contract language to ensure a conflict resolution process that allows workers to present their grievances to a third party and avoid going to court. VTA’s offer was a 9% raise over the next three years, going from 4% to 3% to 2%, and did not include the added conflict resolution language. A union news release said 95% of members voted down the deal.
Singh previously told San Jose Spotlight the increases are necessary to keep up with Silicon Valley’s rising cost of living and that workers are prepared to remain on strike until a deal is reached.
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(BCN) — VTA’s legal complaint against its striking workers is stalled in the courts, delaying the potential return of bus and light rail public transit service in the region. Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Daniel Nishigaya has denied VTA’s request for an injunction, on the grounds that the filing isn’t compliant with California’s Rules […]
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