California transit agency faces possible bus driver work stoppage after proposed contract rejected

The union voted against the latest offer on August 14, following a prior rejection on July 5.Photo byMcGill ProductionsonUnsplash

Members of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1574 have rejected a three-year contract proposal from SamTrans, potentially leading to a work stoppage that could disrupt service as early as next week, the San Mateo County Transit District warned. The union voted against the latest offer on August 14, following a prior rejection on July 5.

SamTrans CEO April Chan expressed disappointment, stating that the proposal was fair and had been endorsed by union leadership. Despite the rejection, SamTrans is focused on minimizing service disruptions and advises customers to seek alternative transportation on August 26 and 27. School services will be prioritized, and paratransit services will remain unaffected.

The rejected contract included wage increases of 18.3% over three years for bus operators and up to 21.9% for other key positions. SamTrans remains committed to reaching a resolution with ATU Local 1574, which represents nearly 400 workers, including bus operators and customer service representatives.