The recent disruption in Santa Clara County's public transit ended after the Appellate Court upheld a ruling that brought striking VTA employees back to work following a two-and-a-half-week stoppage. According to VTA's announcement, the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 265, which led approximately 1,500 members on strike from March 10 through March 27, saw its petition to continue the strike summarily denied.
The initial ruling in favor of VTA's request for an injunction came from a California Superior Court judge. This judge indicated that the union likely violated its contract by leading its members to strike, ordering the strike to stop immediately. After the strike ceased, service was restored on March 28. "VTA’s original action (in filing for an injunction) was intended to uphold the Collective Bargaining Agreement and ensure that our passengers were being served," said a VTA spokesperson in a statement obtained by Valley Transportation Authority.
The appellate court's decision to deny ATU's writ petition effectively supports the continued operation of VTA public transit services for its customers in the county. The court's ruling did not offer detailed reasoning but indicated that the ATU's arguments for continuing their strike were insufficient to overturn the Superior Court’s injunction.
Looking ahead, VTA has expressed hope that ATU will return to the bargaining table. Despite the halt in the strike, the underlying issues leading to the initial action remain unresolved as ATU members are yet to secure a new contract.
