SAN JOSE — The union representing Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority workers ratified a new contract with the agency, two months after a judge ordered them back to work from their historic strike without a new contract.
The vote, which took place Tuesday, passed with 689 yes votes and 298 no votes, according to a letter from Amalgamated Transit Union Local 265. The contract will now go to the VTA Board of Directors for approval.
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“This truly has been a very long drawn-out process,” said ATU Local 265 President Raj Singh in a letter to union members. “As we move forward, our hope is that the VTA and Board of Directors appreciate our commitment, dedication and the value we all have brought and continue to bring to this agency. We are the backbone of this organization, we demand and deserve respect!”
The new contract provides a 14.5% raise over four years — 4% in the first year, 3.5% in the second year, 3% in the third year and 4% in the fourth year. It also offers enhanced dental care, improved workplace policies and apparel vouchers.
Union members walked off the job March 10 after negotiations for a new contract reached an impasse, embarking on a historic strike that lasted for more than two weeks. The strike followed seven months of contract negotiations. The employees have been working on an expired contract for more than two months since a Santa Clara County Superior Judge ordered them to return to work March 26.
