VTA Strike Intensifies Amid Failed Contract Negotiations

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) workers are continuing their strike into the weekend after failed negotiations with agency officials on March 15, 2025. Union representatives claim ongoing disputes over wages and contract conditions are at the heart of the labor action.

Raj Singh, a spokesman for Amalgamated Transit Union Local 265, stated that the agency instead sought intervention from the governor’s office rather than presenting a viable contract proposal. “They’re exploring all options except for the one that obviously resolves this conflict, which is coming to the table and presenting us a fair contract proposal,” Singh said during an interview.

The strike comes after VTA workers convened with agency officials for talks but remained unresolved. Singh described the agency’s current wage offer as stagnant, stating, “It’s the same offer that they’ve had on the table since Feb. 28, essentially. They know what the right thing is, but they still refuse to do it. They’re being bullies.”

VTA officials, in a statement released Saturday, condemned the strike’s impact on the local community, emphasizing that it affects about 100,000 riders daily throughout the South Bay. The agency has also filed a lawsuit in Santa Clara County Superior Court, alleging the union violated a “no-strike” clause from its expired contract. Union representatives contest this claim, stating that the contract in question is outdated.

The agency’s recent proposal included a 9.3% wage increase over three years along with a one-time payment of $1,500 for union members. VTA officials assert that this offer keeps their operators among the highest-paid in both the Bay Area and nationwide. “This package ensures VTA operators remain among the highest paid in the Bay Area and the nation,” the release noted.

Despite the proposed wage increases, Singh argued that the agency’s offer is insufficient for the union members. “Now they’re reaching out to the governor instead of doing the right thing. At this point, the strike will continue through the weekend and will last until an agreement is reached, or an injunction is granted, or if the governor steps in. Then we will comply with whatever order we have to follow,” he concluded.