Lingering VTA strike impacting those most in need as talks with union resume
As VTA strike lingers, regular riders resort to walking to important appointments
An arbitrator helped the Valley Transportation Authority and members of it's striking union, ATU Local 265, resume talks aimed at ending the four day old work stoppage. Meanwhile, regular South Bay riders were forced to walk to get to important appointments.
SAN JOSE, Calif. - Members of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 265 on Thursday held a rally outside the headquarters of the Valley Transportation Authority.
The dozens of union members were joined by union members from SEIU, the South Bay Labor Council and the president of the United Food & Commercial Workers Local 5 from Alameda County.
Meanwhile, another day without VTA service due to the ongoing work stoppage means another day of getting steps in for Ray Cartagena.
"It impacts me significantly. Without transportation, I'm stuck," he said, standing on a porch in a house in San Jose's Julian neighborhood.
Ray is one of six people living in a recovery home on North 17th Street operated by Pathway Society.
All the residents said the lack of public transportation has forced them to walk to scheduled recovery appointments.
"I can't do anything. I had to miss my outpatient yesterday. It's a counseling session, and it's a way I'm able to stay in this house," said Adrian Elisary, who also lives in the recovery home. "I called them and I said if I walk there it's going to take an hour and 32 minutes."
The proverbial "feet beat" is back in style for VTA-dependent passengers since March 10, when roughly 1,500 ATU members walked off their jobs.
"I used to ride the public service. I understand the needs of the community. Because we're with them 24/7. So, we're heartbroken that we're having to be here," said Ashley Olvera, a union shop steward.
Union members said multiple issues have been whittled down to arbitration for grievances and disciplinary actions.
Both sides, on Wednesday night, agreed to meet with an arbitrator on Thursday. The day-long talks centered on crafting language that would end the four-day-old strike and restart service roughly 48-hours after an agreement was reached.
VTA files legal action against transit union over strike
The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority has filed a legal complaint against the union representing transit workers who are picketing, seeking to end the strike.
"And they're still together, which to me is a good sign that there (are) discussions occurring to try to come to a solution. That's kinda where we are today as far as the negotiations," said Greg Richardson, VTA's deputy general manager.
As talks progressed, executives in charge of the programs designed to keep recovering addicts on the straight-and-narrow worried a prolonged VTA strike would prove a disruption to their client's new routine and derail the progress they've made.
"We look at this like a utility went down," said Pathway Society CEO Gary Montrezza. "It's critical. It can derail a person's recovery."
Mediated talks between the VTA and ATU started at 10 a.m. and continued all day without producing a deal.
Jesse Gary is a reporter based in the station's South Bay bureau. Follow him on the Instagram platform, @jessegontv and on Facebook, @JesseKTVU.