VTA, union leaders meet as employees seek eventual return to work, end of strike

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- Leadership from the Valley Transportation Authority and ATU Local 265 were back at the bargaining table Wednesday as they try to put an end to a strike that has now hit 10 days.

Their meeting lasted until late in the afternoon.

As a a new deal is worked out, perhaps no one wants the strike to be over more than the bus and light rail operators, mechanics and customer service reps on the picket line.

"I'm the only one making any income in my household," VTA information services representative Rosie Dominguez said. "So, it's been very hard. I literally want to go back to work and serve our community. We all do."

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"I enjoy serving the public and I love to help," VTA coach operator Watani Fennell said. "I miss work, but this is very important, what we're fighting for right now."

On Wednesday, leadership was back at the bargaining table and still deadlocked on arbitration.

VTA maintains the contract should reflect previous agreements and arbitration should only be offered for grievances filed within 30 days of disputes - and only after the parties tried to resolve it first.

ATU worries about what it would mean for employees to not be offered arbitration for any and all grievances.

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"I mean, it would be over for us," Fennell said. "I mean, there would be no desire for us to be the public servants that we are. Because when we come into work, we'd be stepping on eggshells. Every arbitration should be seen by an arbitrator and they don't want that and they're preventing that."

In order to expand arbitration, SFSU Labor and Employment Studies director John Logan says the union may have to offer VTA something like a stronger no strike clause.

He adds what both sides are asking for is common - especially for workers. Because this is essentially what unions are for.

"For anyone who does that have that type of enhanced protection against arbitrary discipline or arbitrary dismissal, this is critically important," Logan said.

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Until arbitration can be worked out, there will be no deal.

And these employees cannot reunite with their customers.

"I do want to say thank you for your patience with us," Dominguez said. "We do wanna go back to work."

"It's unfortunate, we'd rather be with them," Fennell said. "We want to be back with y'all, we do. We miss y'all."

All parties hope that reunion, and the end of the strike, will come soon.