A Northern Virginia bus driver strike lands at WMATA’s front door

A Northern Virginia bus operator union and supporters gathered in front of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) headquarters Wednesday, chanting slogans like “we move this city” as part of an ongoing strike for better wages and safer buses. The Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689, based out of the Cinder Bed Road bus garage in Lorton, Virginia, went on strike October 24 after months of negotiations with Transdev, a French company that has contracted bus operators, mechanics, and utility workers for WMATA.

According to Local 689, workers contracted by Transdev are paid $12 less per hour than a WMATA bus operator. Employees who want to be full-time, benefited employees only get part-time employment. Some operators also raised major safety concerns like toxic fumes on buses, and say they don’t get sufficient meal and bathroom breaks.

Transdev employs Metrobus operators and other workers like mechanics and utility workers at the Cinder Bed location. When we reached out to ask about the issues Local 689 raised, Transdev provided their November 2 statement:

“Transdev and ATU Local 689 returned to the bargaining table on October 31, November 1 and 2, 2019, but the parties were unable to reach agreement. In an effort to advance the process, Transdev will be requesting that FMCS appoint a mediator to assist negotiations. The Union, however, has stated it is not supportive of a mediator being appointed.

Transdev wants to take advantage of every available tool that could bring negotiations to a resolution. Transdev regrets the hardship and inconvenience caused by the work stoppage and remains fully committed to coming to an agreement as quickly as possible. Transdev continues to bargain in good faith and welcomes employees to return to work at any time while working toward a contract.”

Raymond Jackson, President of the Local ATU 689, offered his perspective of the negotiations so far.

“Transdev walked away from the table last Saturday, and they haven’t given us a date They haven’t given us a date onto when they will return,” Jackson said. “So on that level, we are at a standstill.”

Anger towards Transdev and WMATA

Protesters and advocates also say they are frustrated with WMATA, which contracted the jobs to Transdev in the first place. On October 29, Paul Wiedefeld, General Manager and CEO of WMATA, issued a statement:

“We are now approaching a week that customers have been greatly inconvenienced by the Transdev employee strike at Cinder Bed Bus Garage. This disruption in service to our passengers is unacceptable.

I urge both Transdev and ATU officials to return to the negotiating table immediately. Both parties need to work diligently towards a collective bargaining agreement that restores service to our customers as soon as possible. Transdev and ATU provide service under other agreements in the region, which gives me confidence that an agreement is within reach.”

When GGWash reached out to WMATA about the strike, Dan Stessel, Senior Director of Communications at WMATA, said, “The General Manager continues to urge the parties to resolve their dispute so customers can receive their regular bus service without further disruption.”

During the protest Wednesday, the crowds chanted: “We are fed up Paul, and we don’t care who knows it,” referring to Wiedefeld.

“I’ve been having meetings with Paul Wiedefeld, trying to come with some kind of global resolve about all of our issues with WMATA. I am hoping that we can get there,” Jackson said. “But like I explained to him, when it comes down to it I would rather keep on fighting if that’s what I gotta do.”

Kathy Tran, who represents the 42nd District in the Virginia Virginia House of Delegates, also attended the protest. She said she was going to write to Wiedefeld and WMATA and urge them to stop privatizing Metro services. “It’s created a two-tier system that hurts our workers, our families and our riders and you need to just stop doing that,” Tran said.

Meanwhile, in Northern Virginia, several bus routes have been impacted from the strike. According to the WMATA status and service page, Routes 17B, 17G, 17H, 17K, 17L, 17M, 18G, 18H, 18J, 18P, 29C, 29G, 29W, S80 and S91 (TAGS) will not operate. Also Routes 29N, 29K, and REX are operating on a Saturday schedule. (Click here to see updated schedules.)

Bus commuters in this area don’t have many alternative options, as WTOP reported. Transdev is also in negotiations with operators from the Fairfax Connector, which runs in the area. Its workers are part of ATU Local 1764, and are planning a strike authorization vote this Saturday, November 9.

Strikers are worried about safety for operators and riders

While commuters in Virginia need to figure out alternatives to get to their destinations, there is a huge cost to strikers as well.

“You can talk about striking all day but when it’s time for you to cross that line, you have to know that when you do that…you literally just fired yourself,” Jackson said. “All income stops, and I know that some of these workers are head of family, [they’re] single parents. So for [the strikers] to do what they did, it means the world to me. Because this is not just their fight, it’s every American worker in this country right now.”

Jackson wanted to make sure that the conversation centers not only around fair wages, but the overall safety of riders and operators alike. One bus operator was hospitalized on August 22 because of a leak that released fumes. A week later another bus operator got sick for while driving the same bus.

“I want a fair contract,” said Winston Nichols, a striker who had been a bus operator for about a year. “But the bigger issue is the safety of these buses. You’re putting communities at risk because of these buses.” Nichols said he received the same bus that the first operator got sick on August 22. “I had the same coughing, [and] passengers complained about it,” he added.

Nichols spoke to the audience during the protest, and has been active in the fight. “I feel God puts people in place for a reason. And my reason is that Cinder Bed Road gets what we deserve,” Nichols said.

For now, neither negotiations—nor many buses in Northern Virginia—seem to be moving.

Correction: Fairfax Connector workers are represented by ATU Local 1764. We have updated this article to reflect that.