Long, drawn-out contract talks between Golden Gate Transit and its bus operators union have come to a head, with the agency saying it has been forced to cancel more than 100 runs in the past week because of what it’s calling an informal labor action.
The transit system, which carries commuters between Marin and Sonoma counties and San Francisco, says the runs have been scratched as the result of a spike in the number of drivers taking unscheduled time off.
Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1575, which has been negotiating a new agreement with the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District for more than a year, says drivers are taking scheduled time off and not working “volunteer” overtime shifts.
The union, which did not respond to requests for comment, said on social media the district depends on that voluntary extra work to meet its schedule.
In a “dear valued passengers” statement posted to Facebook, the union said, “Operators have been working their days off, working extended hours, volunteering to do alternative shifts, which covers routes that would otherwise be canceled.”