All bus service operations continues as normally scheduled while First Transit East and the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1433 continue negotiations on the operators’ Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). The agreement expires on June 30, 2016.
First Transit is the service provider contracted by Valley Metro to provide bus operations primarily on routes that travel in the East Valley (Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Scottsdale and Tempe) and south Phoenix. Since March 2016, the two groups have been involved in negotiations and are scheduled to meet again on Thursday, May 26.
While contract negotiations are ongoing, Union leadership has called for a vote of its membership on Thursday, May 19, to give the Union president the authority to strike, if needed, in the future. At this time, all bus service is running as scheduled.
Additionally, if the First Transit change order is Board-approved this month, the Valley Metro/First Transit contract would include a clause requiring a Saturday level of service to be achieved within five days of a work stoppage.
As many as thirty-nine routes with 55,000 average weekday boardings could be affected if a work stoppage occurs. Bus service in Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa and Tempe could be affected should a strike occur. First Transit East-operated routes: FLASH, MERCURY, VENUS, EARTH, MARS, JUPITER, BUZZ, LINK—Main St., LINK—Arizona Ave., 30, 40, 45, 48, 56, 61, 62, 65, 66, 72, 77, 81, 96, 104, 108, 112, 120, 128, 136, 156, 184, 514, 520, 521, 522, 531, 533, 535, 541 and 542.
All other bus routes and Valley Metro Rail are not affected by these labor negotiations.
