WASHINGTON — Fairfax Connector riders can expect to ride to work as usual Monday morning, after marathon bargaining talks led to a tentative contract agreement between the private company that operates Fairfax County’s bus system and the union representing the system’s workers.
Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1764 Trustee Sesil Rubain said in a statement that the tentative agreement would go to the union’s nearly 600 members for a vote this weekend.
“After a lengthy and frustrating year of discussion with MV and Fairfax County — including a marathon 20 hours of bargaining with the company last night — ATU Local 1764’s Fairfax Connector Bargaining Committee has reached a tentative agreement with MV Transportation. We will be recommending ratification to our members, who will decide in a vote on Saturday whether to accept or reject the terms of the agreement,” Rubain said.
The union had held rallies and raised complaints to the county board of supervisors about what the union said were promises that were not kept by the private company, including promises of a pension plan. The union had threatened to strike as soon as Monday.
Fairfax County said the issue was between the contractor, MV Transportation, and the workers.
The county department of transportation said in a statement that if the agreement is not ratified for some reason, there is a contingency plan for service next week. The county said any service changes would be communicated “as soon as possible.”
