SAN JOSE, Calif. — Members of the Amalgamated Transit Union have approved a new contract with the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, ending a contract dispute that included a 17-day strike in March.
Local 265 of the union reports that members voted 689-298 in favor of the new contract in balloting on Tuesday, June 3. The four-year agreement includes annual raises of 4%, 3.5%, 3%, and 4%, for an uncompounded total of 14.5% over the life of the deal.
The VTA said in an update that the deal “achieves a necessary balance: it stays within the financial limits of VTA’s declining sales tax-based revenue, while also providing meaningful wage increases that reflect the vital contributions of our employees. The structure of the contract allows VTA to manage labor costs predictably over the next four years, supporting our long-term financial sustainability.” The ratified agreement will be presented to the VTA board for its approval at a meeting today (June 5, 2025).
The union went on strike on March 10, halting light rail and bus service used by about 100,000 riders daily, after turning down a three-year offer including raises of 4%, 3%, and 2%. [See “Santa Clara VTA shut down by strike,” Trains News Wire, March 10, 2025]. A judge ordered an end to the strike on March 27, ruling that a no-strike clause remained in effect even after the union’s previous agreement had expired [see “Judge orders …,” News Wire, March 27, 2025].
