FAIRFAX, Va. — Some may face a longer commute in Fairfax County Thursday. Bus workers walked off the job, citing unfair labor practices and stalled bargaining by Fairfax County Connector contractor Transdev.
ATU Local 689 represents about 638 Fairfax Connector bus operators and mechanics. The union says workers have been working under an expired contract since December of 2023. Contract negotiations between the union and Transdev have been underway since October.
The union says workers decided to strike Thursday because of what it calls "a vast divide" between the union and Transdev. Union spokesperson Matthew Girardi said Transdev has refused to engage in meaningful discussions on key economic issues.
Some of those key issues include true retirement security, more sick days and competitive wages for bus operators and mechanics with regional transit companies.
About 26,000 people use the Fairfax County Connector service across 93 routes daily.
Union President Raymond Jackson spoke about why a strike was necessary.
"One of the biggest problems out here is the way they treat their workers. We wouldn't be out here if we were negotiating with a company that had some form of dignity," Jackson said.
Transdev's latest contract proposal provided to the union at the end of January ignored many of the union's demands, but included what appeared to be a wage increase, the union said. But given the cost of living in Fairfax County, Local 689 said the wage increases alone with "insufficient to ensure an improved quality of life for its employees."
This is not the first time Fairfax County bus workers have gone on strike. ATU workers also went on strike against Transdev in 2019 and 2020.
Transdev is the largest private operator and integrator of multiple modes of public transportation in the United States the largest private operator and integrator of multiple modes of public transportation in the United States. According to the company's website, Transdev operates in 46 states, and D.C. and Puerto Rico.
The union says it will continue to work to reach a tentative agreement on a new contract and will continue to meet with Transdev even while on strike.
On X, formerly known as Twitter, Fairfax Connector said due to the job action and work stoppage by the ATU, their service will be suspended on Thursday at 9 a.m.
WUSA9 reached out to Transdev for comment and received a statement, saying in part:
Transdev was disappointed over ATU 689's decision to initiate a strike, despite a generous offer from Transdev. This unexpected action has had a severe impact on the community, particularly those who depend on the Fairfax Connector for their daily transportation needs. Transdev put forth a comprehensive proposal that includes significant wage increases, healthcare benefits, retirement savings, bonuses, guaranteed minimum hours, and additional perks tailored to employees of all experience levels.
Because both Transdev and ATU understand their critical role to the Fairfax community, we chose to involve an independent federal mediator to aid in negotiations. During negotiations, the mediator indicated that they thought this was a fair offer from Transdev.
Under the proposed contract, over 70% of ATU 689 operators would be eligible to receive an economic package of $126,000 in annual pay and benefits. Similarly, 78% of the ATU mechanics will be eligible to receive $128,000 annually in pay and benefits. These figures underscore Transdev's commitment to its valued employees.
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