UPDATE: VTA's legal request to stop strike denied
Source: San Jose Spotlight
by B. Sakura Cannestra
March 17, 2025
VTA’s request for the courts to immediately intervene in a weeklong strike has been denied, delaying the potential return of bus and light rail public transit service in the region.
Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Daniel Nishigaya denied VTA’s request for an injunction Monday afternoon. Nishigaya also ordered representatives from Amalgamated Transit Union Local 265 to appear in court next week to argue why an injunction should not be issued. But with the court date set for March 26, that could prolong the strike for another week.
VTA was seeking legal intervention to stop ATU Local 265’s strike after contract negotiations fizzled out earlier this month with no deal on the table. Nishigaya issued a temporary denial Monday morning on the grounds that the filing wasn’t compliant with California’s Rules of Court, but filed a second decision in the afternoon with his updated ruling.
ATU Local 265 President Raj Singh said the union is still disappointed the transit agency has been pursuing other avenues for an injunction rather than working to negotiate a deal. Singh said he was unsure if negotiations would be happening before the court hearing in nine days.
Striking VTA bus drivers, light rail operators and other workers with Amalgamated Transit Union Local 265 rallied on March 17, 2025 to up morale during the weeklong strike and hear updates about the transit agency's legal complaints against the union. Photo by B. Sakura Cannestra.
Read more: https://sanjosespotlight.com/vta-legal-request-to-stop-bus-light-rail-union-worker-strike-temporarily-denied-santa-clara-county-public-transit/
Over 1,500 workers on strike.